Ethics & Regulation
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ISO Releases ISO/TS 12901-2:2026 for Occupational Risk Control
ISO/TS 12901-2:2026 replaces ISO/TS 12901-2:2014, providing updated guidelines for applying a control banding approach to manage occupational exposure risks associated with engineered nano-objects and their aggregates/agglomerates (NOAA). Control banding aims to minimize exposure levels and safeguard worker health against potential adverse effects from nanoparticles. Designed specifically for inhalation risk mitigation, this pragmatic framework offers structured control strategies for research facilities and industrial manufacturers handling NOAA across their lifecycle, even when precise toxicity data and quantitative exposure metrics are limited or unavailable.
OECD Releases Test Guideline 322 for Nanomaterial Environmental Fate
The Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) officially released Test Guideline (TG) 322, establishing a standardized global protocol for measuring the dissolution rate and solubility of nanomaterials in water bodies across various pH levels. This guideline helps regulatory bodies accurately evaluate environmental persistence and aquatic toxicity.
EU REACH Restriction Roadmap targets Fibre-Form Nanomaterials
The European Commission has updated its REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals) Restrictions Roadmap to tighten safety rules on materials made of dangerous fibers. Proposed by Germany, this initiative targets substances and products—including carbon nanotubes and inorganic nanofibers—that release long-lasting fiber dust matching World Health Organization (WHO) risk criteria. Because these high-aspect-ratio fibers can linger in the lungs like asbestos, the new rules aim to set strict workplace safety limits across all EU member states.