ANEC; BEUC

Nanotechnology: Small is beautiful, but is it safe?

Type of publication: Report

Abstract: BEUC, the European Consumers’ Organisation, www.beuc.eu andANEC, The European Consumer Voice in Standardisation, www.anec.eu have issued a statement on nanotechnology policy in June 2009.

Summary: Nanotechnologies are a range of technologies that use materials on an incredibly small scale. One nanometre is a millionth of a millimetre. Materials at this small scale present different properties compared to “bigger” particles (eg.: greater reactivity and mobility in the human body) and are increasingly being used by industrial sectors to create new products or applications. Nanomaterials are already used in various products available on the EU market such as food, cosmetics, textiles, electric appliances and medicines. In the cosmetic sector for instance, some manufacturers use nanomaterials to produce a sunscreen that is clear, rather than white when it is applied, or to produce anti-ageing creams which are claimed to be more efficient. We acknowledge that nanotechnolgies have a potential to offer benefits in particular to consumers and the environment. They could be used to improve the resource and energy efficiency of appliances, the storage capacity and loading time of batteries, lead to new medical treatment opportunities or products of better performance. However, these technologies and materials may also present new risks which have never been evaluated. We are therefore concerned about the increasing number of products containing nanomaterials which are already and will be sold on the EU market without having been subject to a proper safety assessment. This paper aims at presenting the consumer point of view on nanotechnologies and nanomaterials. We call for: - clear definitions of nanomaterials and nanotechnologies as the lack of definitions leads to legal uncertainties and hampers the development of regulatory requirements; - the precautionary principle to be applied in the field of nanotechnologies; - the safety of nanomaterials to be assessed by knowledgeable independent scientific committees before they can be used in consumer products with which consumers come in direct, close or regular contact or in products leading to discharges to the environment; - adequate safety and risk assessment methodologies taking account of all characteristics of nanomaterials; - existing European legislation relevant to nanotechnologies to be adapted in order to safeguard consumer health and safety, as well as the environment. - legal safety requirements to be adapted or established (eg. limit values for certain nanomaterials in products) and standardisation to be only used to establish test methods and other technical specifications; - increased transparency about the use of nanomaterials and labelling of consumer products containing nanomaterials in particular products with which consumers come in direct, close or regular contact; - effective participatory processes in order to allow citizens to fully engage into decisions which will have an impact on their everyday life.

More information: http://www.beuc.eu

Last changed: 21 October 2009

Comment on this publication

Camille Webster, 23 October 2009

very interesting....and i do strongly agree with the concept and view of consumer protection regarding how nano materials will be labeled.