By now you’ve heard about US EPA’s voluntary nanomaterials reporting program, the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program. Circle July 28, 2008 on your calendar, as that’s when the window for voluntary reporting under the Basic Program closes.
While the full NMSP is slated to run for 2 full years, data submissions under the Basic Program are to be in by July 28. This poses as bit of a problem in that the number of submissions and commitments remain low. Yes, a few months ago I said to give the program time, and I still believe that. However, with one time frame coming to an end, I’m becoming concerned at the lack of responses.
As of this posting, three companies have submitted Basic Program materials: DuPont, Office ZPI, and one confidential submission. In addition 10 more commitments for submission under the program have been received: BASF Corporation, Bayer Material Science, Dow Chemical, Evonik/Degussa, General Electric, Nanocyl North America, Nanophase Technologies Corporation, PPG Industries, Sasol North America, and Strem Chemicals.
The concern, of course, if that if EPA does not receive enough voluntary information for it to use in educating itself on the risks posed by nanomaterials, it will make such submissions mandatory. For my money, that’s what is likely to happen. There is still time to submit voluntary information, and still opportunities to do so confidentially. The In-depth program will continue to run, but that portion seems to have been largely ignored. Keep and eye on July 28–it’ll come faster than you think.
