Posted By Jay Joshi
I am looking to contact fellow practitioners who are currently involved in use, handling and disposal of Nanomaterials in powder form in research facilities, i.e in small quantities i.e, up to a few hundred grammes.

I have so far accessed many websites dealing with this subject, and the down side is that there is significant scientific uncertainity regarding the long term heatlh and environmental risks, therefore it would be useful to exchange information regarding actual control measures in a lab environment.

We have the standard equipment such as fume cupboards etc, but due to the nano-size of the materials, I would like to know what fellow colleagues are doing.

I already have access to:-

PD 6699-2:2007:-Nanotechnologies – Part 2: Guide to safe handling and disposal of manufactured nanomaterials is specific to health, safety and disposal.

December 2004-EH 75/6 Health effects of particles produced for nanotechnologies-HSE guidance:-


March 2006 "Review of the adequacy of current regulatory regimes to secure effective regulation of nanoparticles created by nanotechnology of the regulations covered by HSE-"


June 2004 -Health and Safety Executive-Nanotechnology-Horizons Scanning Information

Progress Toward Safe Nanotechnology in the Workplace- A Report from the NIOSH Nanotechnology Research Center

Approaches to Safe Nanotechnology: An Information Exchange with NIOSH


Are conventional protective devices such as fibrous filter media, respirator cartridges, protective clothing and gloves also efficient for nanoaerosols?


PD 6699-1 Nanotechnologies - Part 1. Good practice guide for specifying manufactured nanomaterials

http://www.hse.gov.uk/horizons/nanotech.htm



http://www.defra.gov.uk/...anotech/policy/index.htm

http://www.oecd.org/topi...04_1_1_1_1_37465,00.html


http://www.nanosafe.org/about_us

http://www.safenano.org/

http://nanoriskframework.com/page.cfm?tagID=1095

http://www.nanowerk.com/

http://www.nanotechia.co.uk/

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh...cs/nanotech/default.html

http://www.nano.gov/html...ety/occupational_safety/

http://www.euronanotrade...n=com_frontpage&Itemid=1

Posted By willhiem
jay,

thankfully in my line of work we dont use nanomaterials, but i just came across a reference to this communication in an artical i was reading, you may find it helpful, though maybe not!!

http://eur-lex.europa.eu...COM:2008:0366:FIN:EN:PDF

Posted By Jay Joshi
Jane, Willheim and Garry , Thanks for responding.

Anyone else?

Posted By Jay Joshi
To be specific, has anyone dealt with practical health and safety control measures in use, handling and disposal of inorganic fullerene type nanomaterials as a dispersion in a liquid or in powder form at a research facility or otherwise??

Posted By Jay Joshi

David,

Thanks for this. I have already looked at the abstract online and have requested for the full article via our "information centre"

What I have found out so far is that to adopt a precautionary approach, and not to depend upon the information in the MSDS's as that is can be based on data for the "normal" materials which are not in the nanosize range.

It has been a very interesting exercise, having to assimilate a lot of technical information and then deciding on its reliability and applying the hierarchy of COSHH control measures.

There is a huge amount of research being carried out on the health and environmental effects, but very little output that I could use! It will take some more time.

I will keep you posted if I come across useful information that is not covered by the websites I have already included in my previous posting.

Personally and professionally, I feel that we should adopt a precautionary approach, but simply because of the unknowns, not have a knee jerk reaction.

I just hope that the stakeholders get it right when it comes to risk communication on this subject and this does not go the same way as the public view on GM foods has. Let us deal with scientific facts and results from a decent sample size before jumping the gun either way.