EU nano definition 'too broad', industry says

The EU's "overly wide approach" does not differentiate between process-related and intentionally engineered nanomaterials, according to the British Coatings Federation (BCF) and European paints and inks trade body Cepe. They submitted their comments to the Commission's recent consultation on the revision of its Recommendation on the definition of a nanomaterial. As a result, "incidental" materials such as standard common pigments and nano-scale emulsion polymers could be included in the classification, they said. "The revised definition should therefore be more concrete and limited to issues of concern in order to be practical."

Agreed in 2011, the definition refers to substances with 50% of particles or more between 1nm and 100nm. However, several industry players said a definition on size alone is "fundamentally flawed" and "ineffective". The Commission should consider the mass fraction as an additional criterion to the number fraction to avoid unintended inclusion of materials in the definition, BCF and Cepe said.

In its submission, Cefic also said a mass-based threshold would be a better base for the definition. "This is not only because measurement techniques usually give the results in mass and subsequent conversion results in higher uncertainty, but also because the results of toxicological and ecotoxicological tests continue to be mainly reported using also a mass metric."

Industry comments also point at definitions of a nanomaterial used in other regions, and Cefic said aiming for greater harmonisation "would be helpful for all parties involved".

Manufacturer AkzoNobel said the EU definition is the only one that includes natural or accidentally occurring nanoparticles, "whereas all other definitions are restricted to intentionally produced, manufactured or engineered nanomaterials".

Source: https://chemicalwatch.com/60993/eu-nano-definition-too-broad-industry-says