Chemistry Council, EPA Focus on Nanoscale Materials Guidance
The American Chemistry Council led a panel discussion April 3 on the Environmental Protection Agency's voluntary reporting program for chemical nanoscale materials. The nanotechnology program event, which according to ACC featured the most influential players in the nanoscale materials industry, included presentations by EPA and industry representatives on the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program's scope, aim, and logistics.
Launched in January, the NMSP is a voluntary program intended to help provide a firmer scientific foundation for regulatory decisions by encouraging submissions of hazard and other information, including risk management practices, for nanoscale materials. ACC's Nanotechnology Panel, along with other stakeholders, collaborated with EPA for more than two years in the development of the NMSP to help ensure the program's success and to encourage the timely submission of the information the EPA needs.
"Nanotechnology promises significant benefits, and we're pleased to partner with EPA on this voluntary reporting program," said ACC President and CEO Jack N. Gerard. "The technology should be developed in a way that minimizes potential risks to human health and helps preserve the potential market for the technology." The council says its member companies are committed to promoting the safe manufacture and use of nanotechnology products, employing a rigorous management system that is certified by third-party auditors. These results are made publicly available at www.americanchemistry.com/responsiblecare.
Thursday's panel discussion was sponsored in partnership with ACC, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the United States Council for International Business, the NanoBusiness Alliance, and the Synthetic Organic Chemical Manufacturers Association. For more information: www.americanchemistry.com/nanotechnology.