US chemical groups urge voluntary nano plan

14 July 2008 23:23  [Source: ICIS news]

WASHINGTON (ICIS news)--US chemical groups on Monday urged nanomaterials companies to voluntarily provide research and development (R&D) information to national environmental regulators or risk facing mandatory federal requirements.

 

The Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association (SOCMA) and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) said in a joint statement that they “strongly believe that private sector companies should participate” in the voluntary programme set up by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to gather basic scientific and management information on nanomaterials.

 

Under its nanoscale materials stewardship programme (NMSP), the agency in late January invited industry to submit any and all information on production and use of nanomaterials. 

 

EPA is interested in anything related to nanomaterials production, including how manufacturers handle the materials and what precautions they take to protect production or research employees and consumers who use products containing nanomaterials.

 

The agency said it needs the information in order to build a base of knowledge toward what eventually will be a regulatory programme to ensure that nanomaterials do not pose a risk to human health and the environment.

 

However, the 28 July deadline for voluntary disclosure is fast approaching and nanomaterials industry officials expressed concern that the broad nano sector is not responding adequately to the agency’s invitation.

 

EPA assistant administrator James Gulliford warned earlier this year that if industry’s voluntary response is insufficient, the agency will have no recourse but to impose a mandatory disclosure and reporting programme.

 

Private environmental groups have already complained that the EPA’s nanomaterials safety programme is inadequate and will not work and that federal mandatory controls are needed to ensure nanomaterials development does not pose risks to the environment or human health.

 

SOCMA and ACC urged nanomaterials firms that have not yet provided information to EPA to do so quickly.

 

“If voluntary participation in the NMSP is low, EPA may need to resort to more traditional mandatory information gathering measures that could include issuing a Toxic Substances Contra Act [TSCA] test rule to compel the development of new data,” the two trade groups said. 

 

TSCA is the principal US chemicals regulatory programme.

 

The trade groups also cautioned that if the voluntary reporting system proves inadequate, EPA may impose mandatory handling requirements for manufactured nanomaterials.

 

Mandatory requirements under TSCA might prove arbitrary and counterproductive, the groups warned.

 

“It is imperative that companies participate in the NMSP and work with the EPA so all regulatory decisions on nanomaterials are science based,” the groups said.

 

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By: Joe Kamalick
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