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Effects of the infinitely small
Are the risks of nanotechnologies appropriatly assessed by current methods? Brussels, 23 August 2007 Engineered particles of nanometre size can have unique properties and very different effects on health and the environment compared to the same material at larger sizes. New or modified methods are needed to better determine the properties of nanoparticles, measure exposure to them, assess their potential hazard, and detect their movement in the body and in the environment. This is one of the conclusions of an opinion issued by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) of the European Commission. The modified Opinion (after public consultation) on the appropriateness of existing methodologies to assess the potential risks associated with engineered and adventitious products of nanotechnologies. At the request of the European Commission DG Health and Consumer Protection, GreenFacts has faithfully summarised this opinion on nanotechnologies. A short summary is now available at http://copublications.greenfacts.org/en/nanotechnologies/ in English, French, German, and Spanish. The full publication is available in GreenFacts’ copyrighted Three-Level Structure of increasing detail on the website of the DG Health and Consumer Protection: http://ec.europa.eu/health/opinions2/en/nanotechnologies/ Highlights of the SCENIHR Opinion Nanotechnology is the science of designing, producing, and using structures and devices having one or more dimensions of about 100 millionth of a millimetre (100 nanometres) or less. In consumer products, nanoparticles can contribute to stronger, lighter, cleaner, and “smarter” surfaces and systems, for instance in scratchproof eyeglasses, anti-graffiti coatings for walls, transparent sunscreens, etc. They can be used to increase the safety of cars, for instance by enhancing tyre adhesion to the road, improving the stiffness of the car body, or preventing condensation on car windows. Nanoparticles can be used in a wide variety of ways in biology and medicine, for example in drugs targeting specific organs or cells. Chemicals in their nanoparticle form have properties that may be very different from their larger physical forms. As a result, it is necessary to assess the risks arising from nanoparticles that may come in contact with humans, other species, or the environment, even if the effects of the chemicals that make up the nanoparticle are well known. Existing methodologies need to be modified or new ones developed to be able to better determine the physical and chemical properties of nanoparticles, measure exposure to them, assess their potential hazard, and detect their movement inside living systems, be it in human tissues or in the environment. In general, and in spite of a rapidly increasing number of scientific publications dealing with nanoscience and nanotechnology, knowledge and data are still insufficient on several aspects to allow satisfactory risk assessments for humans and ecosystems to be performed. About GreenFacts GreenFacts asbl/vzw is an independent, multi-stakeholder non-profit organization based in Belgium. Our mission is to bring complex scientific reports on health and the environment to the reach of non-experts. We publish faithful summaries of authoritative international scientific reports. The summaries are written in a language for non-specialists and presented in a reader-friendly Three-Level Structure of increasing detail. GreenFacts’ publications are freely available in several languages on www.greenfacts.org. GreenFacts was created in 2001 by individuals from scientific institutions, environmental and health organizations, and businesses, who called for wider access to unbiased information on health and the environment. About SCENIHR The Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) was set up in 2004 by the European Commission to provide the Commission with unambiguous scientific advice on the safety of a series of issues requiring a comprehensive assessment of the risks, such as new technologies, medical devices, etc. The SCENIHR advice is intended to enable risk managers to take the adequate and required actions in order to guarantee consumer safety or public health. The SCENIHR addresses questions concerning emerging or newly-identified risks and on broad, complex or multi-disciplinary issues such as Variant Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease, bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE), West Nile Virus, Nanotechnologies, Electromagnetic Fields (EMF), and Smokeless tobacco products. About DG Health and Consumer Protection The role of Health and Consumer Protection Directorate General is to make Europe’s citizens healthier, safer and more confident. Over the years the European Union has established EU laws on the safety of food and other products, on consumers' rights and on the protection of people's health. The DG Health and Consumer Protection has the task of keeping these laws up to date. Subscribe to our RSS Feed For further details visit www.greenfacts.org or contact Stephanie Mantell
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