Characterisation of nanotech.

Nanotechnologies are an expanding industrial field and some issues such as their long-term impact on health and the environment, as well as their accurate monitoring, are not yet solved. Therefore Environmental NGOs advocate for a full application of the precautionnary principle.

In 2005, CEN/TC 352 "Nanotechnologies" has been established with the following scope:
Standardisation in the field of nanotechnologies, with specific tasks being classification, terminology and nomenclature, basic metrology, measurement and characterisation (including procedures for calibration), health, safety and environmental issues.
It aims at partly regulating the nanotech. industry by the following Working Groups:
WG 1: Terminology, classification and nomenclature
WG 2: Measurement and characterization
WG 3: Health, safety and environmental issues
WG 4: Nanotechnology products and processes

The European Commission has issued a mandate (M/409) in May 2007 for the elaboration of a standardisation programme in the area of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials, to take into account the specific properties of these products.
ECOS has issued a position paper in response to this mandate. The environmental community is of the opinion that the regulatory framework thus far does not adequately address the specific properties of nanoparticles. ECOS thinks there are some topics in the area that may possibly only be addressed by using standards (e.g. terminology - in cooperation with toxicologists - and measurement methods). Compliance with mandatory risk assessment can also, as the EC states, be demonstrated using standards. However, the risk assessment should be as detailed as possible, leaving as few topics to standards as possible and foresee involvement of the public. As far as labelling is concerned, it is questionable whether this should be dealt with through the use of standards. To download the full ECOS paper, click here.

For topics of mutual interest to ISO (ISO/TC 229 "Nanotechnology") and CEN, it is expected that work should be carried out in close collaboration with ISO. However ISO/TC 229 WG 3 apparently has limited its scope to occupational health and safety and does not focus enough on environmental issues.

ECOS has been participating in CEN/TC 352 since 2007 and will continue in 2010.

For a more detailed overview of the standardisation work related to nanotechnologies and the NGO demands, please refer to the files below.

Links and attachements