The Member Regulatory Priority webinar covered key topics as follows, with NIA actions in bold italic:
CARACAL (March 30, 2020): The webinar covered ECHA's response (Nanomaterials and REACH –An ECHA Update) to the January 2020 nanoform dossier, in particular the low number of dossier updates and high level of non-compliance. It also reported responses from countries, associations and NGOs and the Cefic/Eurometaux response to questions that ECHA posed to the meeting.
ECHA Nanoform support: The webinar highlighted the two events that ECHA has been part of in supporting industrial compliance with nanoform dossier requirements. Both of these events are summarised, together with slides/recordings from each event, in the NIA Member Library.
Support tools for nanoform dossier compliance: This section of the webinar covered the ECETOC web platform under development (see previous NIA hosted webinar in the Member library) and the eREACH platform from Nordic governments.
Carbon nanotubes: The webinar addressed the SNUR published for CNT by the EPA. Discussion included the comment that this helps to clarify the position of CNTs for manufacturers, as it defines specific CNT classes that were not clear before.
NIA position paper for terminology transition from nanomaterials to nanoforms: This topic developed during the webinar from discussing the inclusion of CNTs on the SIN list and also the EUON article language (see summary below). The key challenge for 'nanomaterials' is that, although we have a major regulatory transition to 'nanoforms', precisely to differentiate between hazard and risk across diverse forms, use of the term 'nanomaterial' allows the whole spectrum of nanoforms to be represented by the highest hazard versions. NIA will generate a position paper with members on the need for EU-wide upgrade of terminology to reflect REACH parameters.
Advanced Materials: NIA will host a short survey to Members on industrial ENM perception of the term 'advanced material' and its relevance to their own commercial development and positioning. NIA will develop a position paper, as it is important that industrial reality for nanomaterials is reflected in political and conceptual development of adbanved materials.
EU Observatory for Nanomaterials: NIA and Members discussed and agreed that some of the reporting from EUON allows a mis-leading perception that there is actively a problem in specific areas e.g. skin penetration and fertility, when the substance of the articles shows no such issue or even need for the article in the first instance. NIA is a stakeholder to EUON and will respond regarding this, and also feed into the intended position paper for transition of terminology to nanoforms.
Consultation response 'Chemicals - Strategy for sustainability': NIA will respond to the EU open consultation for the roadmap associated with its chemicals strategy. It's not a major consultation but important to be seen as active.
Other webinar content included an introduction to NIA's new H2020 projects NanoHarmony and SusNanoFab, plus the open position for Regulatory Affairs, which we are launching.
