Transcript Nanomaterials

Nanomaterials: Industrial Policy and
Legislation
European Commission
Otto Linher
DG Enterprise and Industry
EESC, 9 September 2015
Nanomaterials – Myths and Reality
• „Nanomaterial“means a […] material containing
particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or
as an agglomerate and where, for 50 % or more of
the particles in the number size distribution, one or
more external dimensions is in the size range 1 nm 100 nm
 Nanomaterials are not necessarily new and
innovative
 Not all innovative nanotechnology contains
nanomaterials.
Nanomaterials – Myths and Reality
•Nanomaterial properties are not as unknown as
often reported
• 20 years of focused research is not without
results
• Nanomaterials are similar to normal
chemicals/substances in that some may be
toxic and some may not: the dosis is decisive
Nanomaterials on the Market
•Global market (excluding pigments) annually
around 11 million tonnes (market value around 20
bn €)
 French nanomaterial registry: around 500000
tonnes for France
•Global market value of products containing
nanomaterials around 2 trillion €
•Direct number of jobs in the EU in the area of
nanotechnology around 300 000 to 400 000
Market for Selected Nanomaterials
Nanomaterial
Second Regulatory
Review (global, t/a)
Nano registry France
(t/a)
Carbon black
9 600 000
270 000
Synthetic amorphous silica
1 500 000
150 000
Aluminium oxide
200 000
2000
Yellow pigment/iron oxide
…
540
Titanium dioxide
10 000
15 000
Cerium oxide
10 000
110
Zink oxide
8 000
290
Carbon nanotubes and nanofibres Several hundreds to
thousands
unclear
Nanosilver
0,0001-0,001
20
Examples of Applications of
Nanomaterials and Nanotechnology
 Food additives (Anticoagulants)
 Fillers (e.g. paper, plastics, tyres)
 UV-filters in sun creams
 Antibacterial applications
 Paints, varnishes, adhesives
 Catalysts
 Batteries, solar cells
 Medicine, medical devices, tumour therapies
 Nanoelectronics (mostly nanostructured materials, and
not nanomaterials)
Role of Nanomaterials/Nanotechnology
in Industrial Policy
• Nanotechnology is one of 6 Key Enabling Technologies for
innovation
• Example for high-tech material: Graphene
 integrated circuits, transistors, transparent conductive electrodes
 solar cells, energy storage, gas sensors
 medicine
 ethanol destillation
• Nanoelectronics
Legislation on Nanomaterials:
Overview
•
•
•
Horizontal themes/legislation
• Nanomaterial definition
• REACH
• Worker Protection
• Discussion on possible transparency measures
Product specific legislation with explicit provisions on nanomaterials
• Cosmetics
• Food safety
• Biocides
Other instruments with relevance for nanomaterials
• Electrical and electronic equipment, environmental legislation,
(Waste, eco-label etc.),
• Medical products
• Plant protection products
Nanomaterial legislation: Perspectives
• Get to terms with the discrepancy between public
discussion and economic reality of nanomaterials and
nanotechnology
• Fair and proportionate treatment of nanomaterials in terms
of safety regulation, taking into account existing knowledge
on:
• hazards and risks of nanomaterials
• likelihood and seriousness of potential incidents.
Nanomaterial legislation: Perspectives
• Key instruments :
• Adapting REACH Annexes in a cost-efficient way, i.e.:
• requiring clarity of REACH dossiers and additional information
where it is needed
• taking into account the cost of generating new information
• Finding the right instrument to increase transparency on
nanomaterials on the market, which :
• Is cost-efficient in terms of developing key information at a low
administrative burden to authorities and companies
• Can contribute to a better understanding and prioritisation of
nanomaterial safety issues at regulatory and risk assessment level
• Is accessible and understandable for consumers and workers
Where else are information gaps?
• If any, which nanomaterials are particularly toxic due to
their particle size (as opposed to chemical identity)? –
"Drivers of toxicity"
• Risk assessment of examples of nanomaterials – substance
evaluation under REACH
• Is there indeed bioaccumulation in realistic exposure
scenarios? – Epidemiological studies on workers
• Improving REACH-dossiers and Safety Data Sheets
• Better risk assessment for ultrafine particles in air
Thank you for your
attention!