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Environmental, Health and Safety Services issues new guidance on requirements related to creation, use of nanomaterials

From: Environmental, Health and Safety Services

Environmental, Health and Safety Services issues new guidance on the requirements related to the creation and use of nanomaterials.

Scientist and engineers worldwide have declared this era as the "new industrial revolution". We as a society have many reasons to be excited about nanotechnology research. Many colleges here at Virginia Tech have formed collaborative interdisciplinary teams in search of the discovery of new materials, devices, medicines and technologies that will enhance our quality of life, sustain our environment, and expand our industrial resources. There are, however, many environmental, health and safety questions that remain unanswered related to the use of nanomaterials, including:

Do exposures to certain types of nanoparticles pose a health risk to the individual? The answer for some materials appears to be 'yes'; however, additional research is needed to better quantify the exposures of concern. In the interim, exposure to nanoparticles should be kept as low as is technically feasible.

What medical monitoring should we perform to assure exposure to nanoparticles is not causing illness? Unfortunately, there is currently little guidance on this issue, which affirms the importance of minimizing your exposure to these materials.

Can we safely dispose of nanoparticles? Studies have demonstrated that certain nanoparticles can bioaccumulate in the environment. These and similar findings have led the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to promulgate significant new use rules (SNURs) for certain single- and multi-walled carbon nanotubes. At Virginia Tech, all nanomaterials should be treated as potentially hazardous materials and disposed of through the Hazardous Waste Disposal Program.

Environmental, Health and Safety Services (EHSS) at Virginia Tech has used the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to develop an interim laboratory safety policy for nanomaterials. This policy, which can be found on our website at www.ehss.vt.edu, will be updated as new guidance is issued by the regulatory authorities. If you are a Principle Investigator or research assistant who is working on a project that includes the use, handling, manufacture, engineering and disposal of nanomaterials, please complete our Nanomaterials Survey. This survey will be used to help EHSS identify where nanomaterials are being processed, develop lab specific strategies to minimize exposure risks, and assure the proper disposal of nanomaterial waste.

If you have any questions or concerns about nanomaterials safety in your laboratory, please call our Chemical Hygiene Officer, Mr. Donald Conner, at ext 1-7611.

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