Nanotechnology in Consumer Products: Challenges and Opportunities for Environmental Health and Safet

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Nanotechnology in Consumer Products Challenges
and Opportunities for Environmental Health and
Safety

• Dr. Paul Smokler, REHS, QEP
• AECOM
• May 8, 2009

Bren School Corporate Partners Summit  Environmen
tal Applications and Implications of
Nanomaterials
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Richard Smalley Nobel Prize winner, Chemistry
(1996)
Nanotechnology The art and science of building
stuff that does stuff at the nanometer scale
(1943 2005)
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• Nanotechnology is the Next Big Thing. It is a
  truly international phenomenon that will have a
  major impact on the health, wealth and security
  of the worlds people that will be at least as
  significant in this century as antibiotics, the
  integrated circuit, and manmade polymers.

National Science and Technology Council Committee
on Technology, 1999
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Session Purpose

• Provide a brief overview of the opportunities
  and challenges for this new technology and what
  we can do today to address the potential risk and
  liabilities

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Presentation Outline

• Nanotechnology and potential applications
• Human health, environmental and occupational
  concerns
• Regulatory, guidance and policy initiatives
• Where are we today?
• What can we do today?
• Where are we going?

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Top Ten Ways that Nanotechnology Will Impact Our
Lives in the Next 10 years

• Diagnosing Diseases
• Treatment of Cancer and Other Diseases
• Widespread Adoption of Solar Energy
• New Batteries and Other Forms of Portable Power
• Blending Electronic and Paper-Based Products
• Lighter, Stronger, and More Conductive Materials
• Clean Water
• Low Emission Automobiles
• Responding to Terrorism and Environmental
  Disaster
• Increased Monitoring of Consumer Products
• There are currently 807 nano products in the
  Consumer Products Inventory

Source NANOTECHNOLOGY LAW BUSINESS - FALL
2007 (editors)
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Nanotechnology Products Are Here Now
Dermatone SPF 20 Natural Formula
Socks with Nano Silver
Kohler CleanCoat Technology
Kodak Inkjet Photo Papers
Nanosolars Utility Panel
Toshibas Lithium-Ion Battery
Nanotec Nanoseal Wood
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Tatas Nano
Newest Nano Product
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Nanotechnology Challenges

• Do the unique surface, catalytic and magnetic
  properties of nanomaterials present new risks for
  health and safety and for the environment?
• Can the potential benefits of nanotechnology be
  achieved while minimizing the potential risks?

Quantum Dots
Buckyball
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Presentation Outline

• Nanotechnology and potential applications
• Human health, environmental and occupational
  concerns
• Regulatory, guidance and policy initiatives
• Where are we today?
• What can we do today?
• Where are we going?

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Risks?What Risks?
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Risks?

• "If you think nanotech liability claims are never
  going to be a problem, you're dreaming."
• - Lynn Bergeson, Bergeson and Campbell P.C.
• A quote from one of the top ten Nanotechnology
  Law Business experts in environmental, health,
  and safety issues related to engineered
  nanomaterials at the 2nd-Annual Conference on
  Nanotechnology Law, Regulation and Policy,
  February 2009

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Risks?

• Nanotechnology Recent Developments, Risks and
  Opportunities
• Lloyds of London, November 2007
• Clean-up costs of land and water contamination
• Medical costs of treatment of human exposure
• Liability claims from persons directly affected,
  environmental groups and shareholders
• Unexpected life, health and workers compensation
• Latent liability claims of persons affected
• Business interruption while facility is
  investigated
• Cost of product recall

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Risks?

• Global Risks 2008 by the World Economic Forum
  Report
• Nanotechnology identified as one of the top 26
  global risks
• Global Risks 2009
• Increased likelihood of emergence of
  nanotechnology risks
• Citigroup Marsh McLennan Companies (MMC)
  Swiss Re Wharton School Risk Center Zurich
  Financial Services

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Human Health Concerns for NM

• NM exposure and toxicity not yet well understood
• Nanoscale materials do not behave like their bulk
  counterparts
• Increased reactivity of NM due to large surface
  area
• Potential for bioaccumulation and accumulation in
  food chain

Carbon nanotubes
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Inhalation Exposure Studies with NM
Mercer -NIOSH

• Nanoparticles not captured by respiratory defense
  systems
• Nanoparticles can enter lung tissues and be
  distributed to other organs and tissues
• Inhaled nanoparticles may pass from the nose to
  brain through the olfactory nerve
• Rigid multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) longer
  than 20 µm elicit the same toxic response in mice
  that asbestos does, according to two new studies

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Dermal Exposure Studies with NM

• Reports of penetration of intact skin in test
  system models by
• Multi-walled carbon nanotubes
• Substituted fullerenes
• Quantum dots
• In vitro tests indicate inflammatory and
  cytotoxic responses after exposures to
  nanomaterials

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Occupational Concerns for NM

• Extent and impact of worker exposures to NM
• Effectiveness of personal protective equipment to
  minimize/eliminate NM exposures
• Difficulties in monitoring workplace exposures
• Small size of NM
• Limited protocols and methodologies
• Fire and explosion hazards
• Catalytic potential of NM

Maynard 2004
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Environmental Concerns for NM

• Water/soil contamination from improper disposal?
• Disposition and fate after product use and
  disposal?
• Degradation products?
• Potential for accumulation in food chain?
• Limited environmental testing data available

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Presentation Outline

• Nanotechnology and potential applications
• Human health, environmental and occupational
  concerns
• Regulatory, guidance and policy initiatives
• Where are we today?
• What can we do today?
• Where are we going?

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Regulations? What Regulations?

• Currently No Nanomaterial-specificFederal
  Regulations (U.S.)

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US Environmental Protection Agency

• Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
• EPA has broad authority to identify and control
  new chemicals that may pose a threat to human
  health or the environment
• Pre-Manufacture Notification (PMN) requirements
• Significant New Use Rule (SNUR)
• Federal Insecticide, Fungicide and Rodenticide
  Act (FIFRA)
• Samsung clothes washer with nano silver reviewed
  by EPA under FIFRA regulations

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OSHA

• Section 5(a)(1) of the Act (29USC654.5 Duties),
  the General Duty Clause applies when specific
  standards do not
• Requires each employer to furnish to each of
  his employees employment and a place of
  employment which are free from recognized hazards
  that are causing or are likely to cause death or
  serious physical harm

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OSHA

• Hazardous Communication Standard (29CFR1910.1200)
• This section requires chemical manufacturers or
• importers to assess the hazards of chemicals
  which
• they produce or import, and all employers to
  provide
• information to their employees about the
  hazardous
• chemicals to which they are exposed, by means of
  a
• hazard communication program, labels and other
• forms of warning, material safety data sheets,
  and
• information and training.

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International Requirements for NM

• EU Registration, Evaluation and Authorisation of
  Chemicals (REACH) June 2007
• Substances in the nano-scale are within the scope
  of REACH and must be assessed according to the
  regulations
• Environment Canada
• Requirements for Nanomaterials under the New
  Substances Notification Regulations (Chemicals
  and Polymers) - June 2007
• Nanomaterials manufactured in Canada or imported
  into Canada and not listed on the Domestic
  Substances List are considered new and subject to
  notification under the regulations

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Nanotechnology Initiatives

• American Society for Testing Materials (ASTM)
  International
• E56 Committee on Nanotechnology
• Standard Terminology Relating to Nanotechnology
• Standard Guide for Handling Unbound Engineered
  Nanoscale Particles in Occupational Settings
• International Standards Organization (ISO)
• TC229 Technical Committee Nanotechnologies

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EHS Approaches for Nanotechnology

• NIOSH
• Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology Managing the
  Health and Safety Concerns Associated with
  Engineered Nanomaterials - March 2009
• Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and
  Health/ German Chemical Industry Association
• Guidance for Handling and Use of Nanomaterials in
  the Workplace Draft August 2007
• EHS Program components
• Engineering controls
• Work practices
• Personal protective equipment
• Respirators
• Spill cleanup and proper NM disposal
• Worker training

March 2009
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Presentation Outline

• Nanotechnology and potential applications
• Human health, environmental and occupational
  concerns
• Regulatory, guidance and policy initiatives
• Where are we today?
• What can we do today?
• Where are we going?

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Where Are We Today?

• Numerous applications for nanotechnology in
  diverse industries
• Lux Research reports that
• 147B worth of products incorporating
  nanomaterials were sold in 2007
• By 2015, 15 of all products will incorporate
  nanomaterials - 3.1T products, 10M workers
• US Federal budget in 2009 for NT through National
  Nanotechnology Institute
• Research and development - 1.5B
• EHS risks from nanomaterials - 76M (5)

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Where Are We Today?

• Limited number of NM have been evaluated to date
• Human health, occupational and environmental
  impacts of NM not yet understood
• Numerous current initiatives to develop best EHS
  practices for nanomaterials
• Occupational/environmental regulatory standards
  and guidelines are in development

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What Can We Do Today?

• Proactive EHS approach in the absence of
  regulatory mandates to minimize potential
  liabilities from worker exposures to NM
• Audits to document adherence with accepted
  guidelines
• Review/update EHS programs to address potential
  occupational concerns regarding NM
• Train employees
• Monitor evolving status of guidelines and
  standards specific for nanotechnology

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Nanotechnology Where Are We Going?
The Nano Song
Regulatory Compliance
Environmental Impacts

Occupational Exposure Concerns
Numerous Applications for NM
Human Health/ Consumer Concerns
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Thank You Dr. Paul Smokler AECOMpaul.smokler_at_ae
com.comBill LooneyAECOMbill.looney_at_aecom.com
www.aecom.com