Timing, hosts and locations of (grouped) events of NanoImpactNet

NanoSafetyCluster - Compendium 2012
• Elaborate upon current data regarding health and
environmental exposure to NMs throughout the life cycle
of nanoproducts
• Provide advice regarding the identity, quantity and
properties of relevant NPs released into different
compartments
Group discussions were an important aspect of the workshop. The
participants were split into three groups and each discussed
several pre-defined questions including: the different meanings of
the term ‘life cycle’, what methods exist to determine life cycle
impacts of nanomaterials, and what relevant knowledge is
currently available for the overall assessment of the impact(s) of
nanoproducts. Another question was how risk assessment
methods, and methods based on a life cycle perspective, can
complement each other. One group also focused on life cycle
assessment methods and on the main elements of life cycle
assessment missing in relation to nanotechnology products.
Nanomaterial Environment, Health and Safety Research in the EU:
Building a sustainable multi-stakeholder dialogue
The third workshop was a multi-stakeholder dialogue. It built upon
targeted phone calls prior to the workshop, during which
knowledge gaps and the necessity for further data had been
mentioned. Specific discussion items included:
• the potential toxic and safety hazards of NMs throughout
their lifecycles;
• the fate and persistence of NPs in humans, animals and
the environment;
• the associated risks of NP exposure;
• greater participation of the wider stakeholder group in
the preparation of nomenclature, standards,
methodologies, protocols and benchmarks;
• the need for development of best practice guidelines for
all aspects of nanosafety assessment;
• the need for voluntary schemes on responsibility;
• the need for databases of materials, research topics and
themes, but also of expertise.
The first part of this workshop provided an overview of the main
stakeholder perspectives, including presentations from
representatives of industry, regulatory authorities, NGOs, insurers
and the European Commission. During the break-out groups which
followed, stakeholders contributed actively to discussions about
information needs, communication, safe use of NMs, whether
more or other regulation was needed, and whether enough
information was available to make informed decisions regarding
the safety of NMs and products containing them.
The discussions first confirmed the needs identified in the targeted
phone calls. They suggested that reporting should be enhanced,
although commercial confidentiality and economic competition
were identified as major obstacles. Expertise is needed in the areas
of commercial law and economics for a well informed treatment of
this communication issue. Further discussion was focussed on the
issues of safety and regulation, as follows:
Can engineered nanomaterials be used safely? The idea that NMs are
probably safe because some of them have been produced ‘for a
long time’ was questioned. New legislation like REACH could help
address this issue. It was also noted that there is no such thing as a
perfectly safe material, but only boundaries, and at this moment
we do not know where these boundaries lie. The matter of
labelling of products containing NMs was raised, as in the public
mind safety and labelling are connected. This may need to be
addressed soon as the issue of NMs in food, drink and food
packaging may be the first safety issue to attract public and media
attention.
Do we need more or other regulation? Any decision making process
should accommodate the changing level of uncertainty. To address
uncertainties, adaptations of frameworks such as REACH may be
necessary for NMs. Even if voluntary measures are welcome,
regulation is often needed in order to mitigate the effects of
competition between industries.
NanoImpactNet continues an active stakeholder dialogue to
further promote interdisciplinary relationships, and to build
towards a healthy future with nanotechnology.
5.1.3 The NanoImpactNet Integrating Conference with
Training School and Workshops in Lausanne,
Switzerland
In March 2009, scientists, policy makers and representatives of civil
society and industry from around the world converged at the
University Hospitals of Lausanne, Switzerland, to discuss the
challenges and limitations of exploring and characterizing NMs.
The conference had 5 plenary sessions (1. Human health and
exposure; 2. Environmental fate and effects; 3. Life cycle and risk
assessment; 4. From research to policies; 5. Connecting the dots)
and featured over 30 presentations from leading experts
providing insight into the latest nanotechnology research. Back-toback
with the 2-day conference, a training school for young
scientists and 2 workshops were organised.
Training School – Handling protocols and toxicological testing
strategies
This training school was aimed at PhD students and postdoctoral
fellows working on any of the topics related to the assessment of
the health and environmental impacts of NMs. The focus was on
protocols for handling NMs and protocols for toxicology testing.
Issues tackled included controlled dose (understanding of
aggregation of NPs in the presence of biological fluids), controlled
presentation of NPs to a test system, and development of
appropriate testing strategies taking into account the novel
aspects of NMs which can influence that testing. The training was
thus divided into three sub-sections (1. Nano-object dispersion in
media; 2. Introduction of nano-objects into cells, tissues, animals; 3.
Toxicological testing strategies), with a plenary opening lecture by
Prof. Kenneth Dawson (UCD) on ‘Controlling nanoparticle
dispersion and presentation is key to rational nanosafety
assessment’. The participants were then divided into three in
order to ensure that the group size was optimal for encouraging
discussion and engagement of the students. Each group attended
each of the three training sessions.
Workshop - Protocols for assessment of biological hazards and
biological responses
Large numbers of publications are emerging in the literature
assessing the hazards of NMs in cells and animals. However, it is
becoming increasingly apparent that NMs can interfere with the
124 Compendium of Projects in the European NanoSafety Cluster