In each meeting of the Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN),
the delegations have an opportunity to provide their developments on the safety
of manufactured nanomaterials, so called “Tour de Table.” An earlier version of
this document was originally provided to the 6th meeting held 28-30 October
2009 in Paris, France. This document compiles information provided by member
countries and other delegations on current developments on the safety of
manufactured nanomaterials (section I) in their countries or organisations.
There are also written reports on current activities related to
nanotechnologies/ nanomaterials in other International Organisations including
the International Organisation for Standardisation, the Food and Agriculture
Organisation of the United Nations and the World Health Organisation (section
II).
This is intended to provide delegations and other stakeholders with a
“snapshot” of information on activities related to manufactured nanomaterials,
as well as other activities on nanotechnologies, at the national and
international level. This “snapshot” was current at the time of the 7th meeting
of the WPMN (July 2010). The Working Party endorsed this document at its 7th
Meeting in July 2010.
In considering the Tour de Table, each delegation was invited to prepare a
short written paper. It was recommended that the information in these papers be
organised, where possible, under the headings identified below, while
recognising that not all delegations would be able to supply information under
each heading.
1) Firstly, please provide a list of the latest developments in your
country and organisation since the 6th meeting of the WPMN (October 2009) as
highlights to appear at the top of your document.
2) Secondly, please identify work completed, underway or planned in your
country or organisation, which relates to activities on health and
environmental safety aspects of manufactured nanomaterials (focusing on the
chemicals sector).
1. Any national regulatory developments on human health and environmental
safety including recommendations or discussions related to adapting existing
regulatory systems or the drafting of laws/ regulations/ guidance materials;
2. Developments related to voluntary or stewardship schemes;
3. Information on any risk assessment decisions;
4. Information on any developments related to good practice documents;
5. Information on any developments related to Integrated Testing Strategies
and/or Alternative test methods;
6. Research programmes or strategies designed to address human health and/
or environmental safety aspects of nanomaterials;
7. Information on any public/ stakeholder consultation;
8. Information on research programmes or strategies which focus on life
cycle aspects of nanomaterials, as well as positive and negative impacts on
environment and health of certain nanoenabled applications.
9. Additional Information.