EPA Seeks Comment on Design of Nanotechnology Stewardship Program

July 23, 2007 // Published as a news service by IHS

The EPA's approach is touted as increasing the scientific understanding and ensuring appropriate oversight of nanoscale industrial chemicals to facilitate a responsible development of the technology, according to the EPA.

The effort will call on manufacturers of engineered nanoscale chemical materials to develop and report key information needed on these materials to help ensure the safe manufacture and use of the products of nanotechnology.

This program will complement and support the EPA's new and existing chemical programs under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA).

The NMSP proposes to cover, but is not limited to, existing chemical nanoscale materials manufactured or imported for commercial purposes as defined by the TSCA.

The NMSP is also designed to help provide a firmer, scientific foundation for regulatory decisions by encouraging the development of key scientific information and use of a basic set of risk management practices in developing and commercializing nanoscale materials, said the EPA. The EPA is seeking comment on a concept paper for the NMSP and the information collection request (ICR) for the program.

The EPA is also seeking comment on a document outlining its current approach for determining whether a nanoscale material is a "new" or "existing" chemical substance under the TSCA.

Manufacturers and importers of nanoscale materials that meet the definition of "chemical substances" under the TSCA are subject to different requirements and reporting depending on whether they are considered "new" or "existing" chemicals.

The EPA will hold a public meeting on Aug. 2 to receive comments. The documents will be open for public comment for 60 days.

Key questions the EPA wants comments on include:

1. Whether the data elements that have been identified in the NMSP are appropriate for nanoscale materials.
2. Timing and phasing of submissions under the NMSP basic and in-depth programs and whether approaches for tiering data submissions are appropriate.
3. Who would participate in the NMSP and how to encourage participation, especially from small and medium sized enterprises.
4. What criteria to use for NMSP program evaluation and views on the timing and nature of any reports the agency may issue.
5. How to engage industry and other stakeholders in the NMSP in-depth program and approaches for generating test data.
6. The processes and roles for the EPA, participants and other stakeholders during development and evaluation of data for the in-depth program.
7. Possible approaches for identification and use of alternative sources of data in order to minimize the burden of information collection associated with the NMSP.
8. Uses for the data submitted to the EPA under the NMSP program.
9. Issues relevant to scope, definitions and descriptions.
10. The suitability of the approach for determining the TSCA inventory status of nanoscale materials discussed in the inventory paper.
11. Whether, in combination, the TSCA inventory paper and the NMSP concept paper are sufficiently clear in how the EPA plans to address nanoscale materials that are new or existing chemicals under the TSCA and the NMSP.

For information on the public meeting or to read and comment on the documents that outline these efforts, visit epa.gov/oppt/nano/nmspfr.htm.

Source: U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).