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

NanoSafetyCluster - Compendium 2012
field and accessible national and international programmes and
including the OECD WPMN sponsorship programme and
transatlantic co-operations. Building on these inputs we will
integrate into a web-based, comprehensive, searchable IT platform
to create an integrated resource to bridge the gaps caused by
confidentiality, delays between findings and data access and
limitations by search engines. Results generated within MARINA
will serve to narrow the critical knowledge gaps in all of the
principal areas in the risk management paradigm for ENM linking
Materials, Exposure, Hazard and Risk, in order to provide an
overarching understanding of the interaction of ENM with humans
and the environment towards a sound, scientifically based,
coherent approach to assessing and managing the potential risk of
ENM. MARINA is dedicated towards the development of validated
reference methods for managing the risks of ENM and is the first
project to also address monitoring of exposure of ENM and its
contribution to RA and RMM. An integral part of the MARINA
project is also to make available the findings and the methods to
other users in an accessible format in order to maximize the
benefit of the project. For support to policy and decision making
concerning nanotechnology in respect to various stakeholders,
MARINA will provide a unique resource of information and
methodology. It will support shifting from case-by-case evaluations
to holistic health and environmental safety assessment and
management that addresses overall risks. By using frames and
modules of integrated testing and integrated assessment,
conclusions are set in a science-policy perspective. All information
is provided web-accessible in real time. Decision makers will find
information directly in a format, which allows analysis across
endpoints, across material types or preparation forms. Industry
depends on evidence-based safety assessment to safeguard
market potential and sustainability of their products. MARINA will
provide the industry with important data and tools to take
decisions about products, processes, risk management measures
and safety assessment. This includes validation, weight of evidence
approaches, expressions of uncertainties, quantitative expression
of risks and setting the risk in appropriate context in e.g. risksustainability
or risk-benefit analysis. MARINA has a clear strategy
for engaging the European and wider International Community.
The design of the MARINA consortium and our dissemination
strategy reflect our commitment to bring the MARINA results to
the global community in general and to the international
regulatory bodies and interested stakeholder groups and NGO in
particular. For contribution to the future definition of appropriate
measures, where needed, MARINA objectives are to develop
standard, reference methods covering a wide range of themes,
from Materials to Risk. These reference methods will contribute
actively to the much needed global efforts in standardisation and
harmonisation of methods and measures. The implementation of
reliable reference methods will generate public confidence in the
sustainable development of nanotechnologies. For support to
good governance in nanotechnology MARINA will develop an
overarching strategy for risk management and reduction and
enabling the EU regulatory bodies, agencies and authorities to
make informed decisions and policies to safeguard consumers
while taking full advantage of the advancements that
nanotechnology will bring to the economy and competitiveness of
EU industry. MARINA will facilitate dialogue in the field via the
advisory board and a dissemination plan adapted to international
stakeholders in governance. We expect this to support European
policy, specifically horizontal standardisation, harmonisation, as
well as worker and consumer protection. For Support to pre and
co-normative activities, such as with reference to the
implementation of REACH, MARINA is clearly committed to the
REACH process through our integrated activities and iTS. MARINA
will closely work together with the Commission services involved in
development of adaptations of REACH guidance documents
concerning nanomaterials. In particular, our definition
developments, adequacy and supplementation of reference
methods are of direct value for REACH, especially the focus on
reliable methods and combined use of data including from
modelling and monitoring. Noteworthy are new in silico
approaches for cross-reading (QSAR-like) implemented in MARINA
and the acceptance of approaches warranted by a communication
strategy directed at relevant bodies including European
Commission, European Food safety authority (EFSA), European
Chemicals Agency (ECHA), ISO, CEN and OECD. For Support to the
safe, integrated and responsible approach as laid down in
"Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies: An action plan for Europe",
the risk management recommendations will be developed in
cooperation between the scientists and industrial stakeholders. It
will identify conditions, challenges, and provisions to account for
the impact on a responsible and flourishing industrial development
of nanotechnologies within Europe. Decision-making by
stakeholders will be supported in MARINA to enable risk issues to
be addressed on the earliest possible level in order to improve
assessment methodology and subsequently safe and responsible
use of ENP. Contributions to validated reference methods for risk
management will contribute to improve favourable conditions for
innovation. MARINA will contribute to reinforcement of the
international dimension of European research and collaboration
between industry, researchers, NGO, authorities (at Member State
and European level) and international standardisation bodies, such
as OECD WPMN, WPN, WNT, ISO TC 229 and TC 24, CEN TC 352, and
IUPAC.
MARINA has started on the 1 st November 2011. The Kick-Off
meeting was held in Rome on the 16 th to 18 th November 2011 jointly
with the project NANOVALD. The key activities implemented at the
start of the project were:
1. To synchronise MARINA and NANOVALID activities;
2. To choose and procure ENM for a quick start of the
MARINA experimental programme.
3. To train scientists on Nanosafety through the Nanosafety
Autumn School in Venice.
A joint working group for MARINA/NANOVALID, consisting of key
researchers from both projects, has been formed. The specific
objective is to synchronise the research activities between the two
projects. This group will meet every 6 months and will have a
teleconference every three months.
Much effort has been made to choose the relevant ENM for
testing. We have identified TiO2-NM101, ZnO-NM110, Ag-NM300K
72 Compendium of Projects in the European NanoSafety Cluster