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Uniting the Nanomaterials Ecosystem

Standardisation updates - Activities under the ISO/TC 229 Committee 

ISO 21356-1 under ISO/TC 229 Nanotechnologies — Structural characterization of graphene — Part 1: Graphene from powders and dispersions (Revision of ISO/TS 21356-1:2021) - Proposal to extend project limit date. Ballot open until 02.10.2026 ISO 21356-1 under ISO/TC 229 'Nanotechnologies — Structural characterization of graphene — Part 1: Graphene from powders and dispersions' (Revision of ISO/TS 21356-1:2021) - Proposal to extend project limit date. voting deadline of 2 October 2026. ISO/TC 229…

Scaling from Lab to Market

NIA and Yordas Publish Study on Surface-Treated Nanomaterials

The Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA) and NIA member Yordas Group have published a new study for the European Union Observatory for Nanomaterials (EUON) examining the health and environmental implications of surface-treated nanomaterials. The report, Assessment of Health and Environmental Hazards and Risks of Surface-Treated Nanomaterials, explores how modifications to a nanomaterial's surface can influence its behaviour and potential hazard profile. While the findings indicate that…

Advancing Sound Regulation & Standards

From Invention to Industrialisation: New Nature Materials Article Sets Out Priorities for Europe

NIA Interim Director General Sean Kelly has co-authored a new article in Nature Materials with Professor Paula Vilarinho of the University of Aveiro, outlining key priorities for strengthening Europe's advanced materials ecosystem. The article builds on discussions held at the Future of Advanced Materials Europe (FAME) workshop in November 2025 and identifies five priorities for the forthcoming Advanced Materials Act: Scale-up infrastructure and pilot facilities Private investment and new…

Corporate Members OnlyAdvancing Sound Regulation & Standards

NIA contributes to European discussion on skills for safe and sustainable advanced materials

A new article co-authored by NIA Interim Director General Sean Kelly examines how Europe can build the skills and expertise needed to support the implementation of Safe-and-Sustainable-by-Design (SSbD) approaches for nano and advanced materials. Published in Frontiers in Nanotechnology, the paper brings together stakeholder perspectives on the knowledge, training and capacity-building required across research, industry and policymaking communities. The publication also includes contributions…

NIA Regulatory Committee Marks Tenth Meeting

The NIA Regulatory Committee held its tenth meeting in September 2026, bringing together members to discuss recent regulatory and scientific developments affecting nanomaterials. A key item on the agenda was an update from Blue Frog Scientific on its recently completed project for ECHA, Nanomaterial Risk Assessment: A Regulatory Way Forward for Sameness and Grouping Approaches. Following publication of the final report, members received an overview of the project's findings and their potential…

Australia Consults on New Information Requirements for Nanoscale Chemicals

The Australian Industrial Chemicals Introduction Scheme (AICIS) has consulted on new information requirements for assessment certificate applications covering specified categories of chemical introductions, including chemicals at the nanoscale. The proposal introduces a range of nano-specific data requirements, including information on particle size and distribution, morphology, surface area, surface chemistry, surface charge and dispersibility. Additional requirements are proposed for certain…

NAMs4Nano Publishes Qualification Framework for Regulatory Use of NAMs

The EFSA-funded NAMs4Nano consortium has published an implementation plan for a proposed qualification system aimed at supporting the regulatory use of New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) in the food and feed sector, with a particular focus on nanomaterial risk assessment. The proposed framework is intended to evaluate whether a method is scientifically reliable and suitable for a defined regulatory purpose. Developed through engagement with regulators, stakeholders and scientific experts, the…

OECD Publishes Guidance on the Intestinal Fate of Ingested Nanomaterials

The OECD has expanded its nanomaterial testing toolbox with the publication of new guidance for investigating the intestinal fate of orally ingested nanomaterials using in vitro methods. The document provides a harmonised framework for studying how nanomaterials behave and transform during passage through the gastrointestinal tract. Such transformations can significantly influence the properties of a material and, in turn, affect exposure, uptake and biological interactions. The guidance forms…

OECD Issues New Guidance on Toxicokinetics Testing for Nanoparticles

The OECD has published new guidance on toxicokinetics testing designed to address the specific characteristics of manufactured nanoparticles and other poorly soluble particulate materials. The document provides recommendations on study design, analytical methods and reporting requirements for oral and inhalation studies. It also outlines the factors that can influence the absorption, distribution, transformation and clearance of particles in biological systems, including dissolution…

Sep 14, 2026Member News

ECHA Publishes Findings on Nanoform Sameness and Grouping

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published the results of its project Nanomaterial Risk Assessment: A Regulatory Way Forward for Sameness and Grouping Approaches, coordinated by NIA member Blue Frog Scientific. The study examined how acceptable variation between nanoforms could be determined under REACH and explored scientific criteria for assessing whether different nanoforms may be considered sufficiently similar for regulatory purposes. A key outcome is an exploratory decision-tree…

Uniting the Nanomaterials Ecosystem

Potential REACH Restriction on Fibre-Form Substances Added to EU Roadmap

The European Commission has included a potential restriction on substances in critical fibre form in its updated REACH Restrictions Roadmap, signalling further regulatory scrutiny of fibre materials with carcinogenic properties. The initiative, submitted by Germany, would cover substances, mixtures and articles that may release biopersistent fibre dusts meeting the World Health Organization (WHO) fibre criteria. It builds on a Regulatory Management Option Analysis (RMOA) carried out by the…

Sep 14, 2026Article

iCare Project Marks Penultimate General Assembly in Pisa

Partners in the iCare project met at the Istituto Italiano di Tecnologia (IIT) in Pisa on 25-26 August 2026 for the project's penultimate General Assembly. The meeting focused on reviewing progress across the consortium and planning activities for the final phase of the project. Participants also visited IIT laboratories to observe research activities firsthand, including work involving planarians as a bridging model between traditional animal testing and in vitro approaches. Discussions also…

All MembersUniting the Nanomaterials Ecosystem

Sep 14, 2026Event

OIM² Europe 2027 Opens Registration and Call for Abstracts

Registration and the call for abstracts are now open for Open Innovation Materials & Manufacturing Europe 2027 (OIM² Europe), which will take place in Grenoble, France, from 16 to 18 February 2027. The event aims to strengthen links between research, industry and policy by showcasing technologies and innovations in advanced materials, nanotechnology and sustainable manufacturing. Particular emphasis will be placed on technology transfer, industrial deployment and market-ready solutions. NIA's…

US EPA Finalises TSCA Rule on Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes

The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has issued a final Significant New Use Rule (SNUR) under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) for specific multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The rule follows the Agency's earlier review of the substance through a premanufacture notice and a TSCA Order. Under the SNUR, companies intending to manufacture, import or process the affected MWCNTs for designated significant new uses must notify the EPA before commencing those activities. This…

EU Proposes Updated Restrictions for Nano-Hydroxyapatite in Cosmetics

The European Commission has proposed amendments to the Cosmetics Regulation following recent scientific assessments and regulatory reviews of several cosmetic ingredients. Among the measures under consultation are revised restrictions on hydroxyapatite (nano), reflecting the conclusions of the Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), which found that its safe use can only be established under defined conditions. The draft Regulation would update the conditions under which…

OECD Publishes New Test Guideline for Assessing Nanomaterial Solubility and Dissolution

The OECD has released Test Guideline (TG) 322, introducing a harmonised approach for determining the solubility and dissolution rate of nanomaterials in support of environmental fate and risk assessment. The guideline sets out standardised methods for measuring how nanomaterials dissolve under environmentally relevant pH conditions. It includes two test approaches: a 24-hour batch test to determine apparent solubility, and a time-resolved batch test that measures both apparent solubility and…

Advancing Sound Regulation & Standards

OECD Publishes New Test Guideline on the Dustiness of Materials Containing Nano-Objects

The OECD has released Test Guideline (TG) 127, establishing a harmonised approach for measuring the dustiness of materials containing nano-objects and their aggregates and agglomerates (NOAA). The guideline provides standardised methods for assessing the tendency of powders containing granular or fibrous nano-objects to generate airborne dust during handling and processing. These measurements are important for exposure assessment, workplace safety and risk management, particularly where…

Jul 17, 2026Video

Dealing with Sameness and Similarity Grouping and Read Across of Advanced

How can grouping and read-across approaches support regulatory compliance for graphene and advanced nanomaterials? ACCORDS and iCARE hosted a focused virtual workshop introducing the principles of grouping and read-across as applied to advanced and nanomaterials. The workshop presented Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATAs) for inhalation and neurotoxicity endpoints in graphene 2D related materials, the linking of biological effects with materials characteristics, and shared…

Strengthening Global Competitiveness

Jul 15, 2026Member News

NIA Member Yordas Group Founder and CEO Jonathan Lutwyche Awarded OBE in King’s Birthday Honours 2026

Recognition for services to sustainable chemicals management, economic growth, international trade, and advancing opportunities for women and young people Lancaster, UK - Yordas Group is proud to announce that its Chief Executive Officer, Jonathan Lutwyche, has been appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in His Majesty The King’s Birthday Honours 2026. The honour recognises Jonathan’s contribution to sustainable chemicals management, his role in driving economic growth…

Advancing Sound Regulation & Standards

Jul 15, 2026Event

DESIDERATA to host SWOT workshop on SSbD framework

NIA member project DESIDERATA is running a workshop on 8 September (09:00–11:30 CET) to examine the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats of the European Commission's Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD) Framework. Drawing on eighteen months of project findings, the session will focus on implementation hurdles and how to work through them, with a high-level panel featuring the JRC, the chair of the OECD's Safe Innovation Approach group, and industry representatives. Registration…

All MembersUniting the Nanomaterials Ecosystem

Jul 15, 2026NIA News

NIA at Brussels summit on indoor air quality

NIA's Interim Director General, Sean Kelly, joined the IDEAL Cluster summit "The Air We Share" in Brussels in June, addressing indoor air quality across Europe. The appearance builds on four years of NIA involvement in the LEARN project, led by NIA member INL, which explores how nanotechnology can improve air quality measurement in schools. Kelly joined a panel discussing what the IDEAL Cluster's various projects—LEARN included—can contribute to future policy, standards and technology in this…

All MembersStrengthening Global Competitiveness

Jul 15, 2026NIA News

NIA co-chairs BIAC at OECD's 20th anniversary nanosafety meeting

The 26th OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials met in Paris on 24–25 June, and NIA took part as co-chair of Business at OECD (BIAC), weighing in on priorities across the OECD's nanosafety programme. The meeting doubled as the 20th anniversary of the Working Party, and NIA joined other delegates in looking back at two decades of international cooperation on nanomaterial safety assessment while turning attention to what's ahead—advanced materials, Safe and Sustainable Innovation…