On January 28, 2020, the European Union (EU) published The NanoDefine Methods Manual, a collection of three Joint Research Center (JRC) reports developed within the NanoDefine project “Development of an integrated approach based on validated and standardized methods to support the implementation of the EC recommendation for a definition of nanomaterial.”  According to the Manual, the overall goal of the NanoDefine project was to support the implementation of the European Commission (EC) Recommendation on…

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced on February 12, 2020, that it is seeking public input on a proposal to incorporate a new nanosilver pesticide product into textiles to combat odors, discoloration, and other signs of wear.  The proposed registration decision is for NSPW Nanosilver, and the proposed pesticide product, Polyguard-NSPW Master Batch (Polyguard), will be incorporated into textiles to suppress bacteria, algae, fungus, mold, and mildew, which cause odors, discoloration, stains, and deterioration. …

On February 13, 2020, the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) published a position paper entitled ‘Nanoplastics’:  Use of suitable terminology for representation in waste, degradation of plastics and presence in the environment.  In the paper, NIA and its members urge caution and clarity when referring to plastics as small particles or fragments.  NIA states that “nanoplastics” is a “non-specific and ambiguous term, and qualifiers should be considered for accurate presentation to all audiences.”  NIA notes…

The Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) announced on February 6, 2020, that the European Commission (EC) has requested scientific advice on the safety of nanomaterials in cosmetics.  The EC seeks advices on two questions: The EC requests that SCCS determine the nanomaterials, as published in the recent catalogue of nanomaterials of 2019, for which specific concerns can be identified and justified to establish a priority list of nanomaterials for risk assessment (Article 16(4)…

The American Conference of Governmental Industrial Hygienists (ACGIH®) Threshold Limit Values for Chemical Substances (TLV®-CS) Committee has included carbon nanotubes on its 2020 list of chemical substances and other issues under study.  Being placed on the under study list indicates that the TLV®-CS Committee has selected carbon nanotubes for development of a threshold limit value (TLV®).  ACGIH® describes TLVs® as health-based values representing the opinion of the scientific community that exposure at or below…

On February 5, 2020, the Nanotechnology Entrepreneurship Network (NEN) will hold a webinar on insights from the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) from 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. (EST).  The National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) notes that a key stop on the technology development pathway is protecting the underlying intellectual property.  Entrepreneurs intending to commercialize an emerging technology, such as a nanomaterial or a nanomaterial-enabled product, need to be cognizant of pertinent intellectual property issues…

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) published a Federal Register notice on January 31, 2020, announcing that the Board of Scientific Counselors (BSC) will meet on February 21, 2020.  During the meeting, BSC will review and provide advice on programmatic activities.  According to the preliminary agenda for the meeting, the meeting will include a presentation by Dr. Anil Patri, Food and Drug Administration, National Center for Toxicological Research, on “Understanding Human Exposure to Nanoplastics/Microplastics:  Novel Agents…