Reading round-up: EU notification of nanomaterials banned in cosmetics, nanoplastics risk assessment

(*) The European Commission has notified the WTO of a draft amendment to the Cosmetics Regulation, adding twelve nanomaterials to the Annex II list of banned substances. The measure is based on 2021 opinions by the EU Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS), identifying a basis of concern for the relevant substances (full list at this link). It is expected to be adopted in Q3 2022, after a comment period currently open at the WTO; 

(*) The EU Observatory on Nanomaterials (EUON) has published an article on risk assessment in regard to nanoplastics, intended as secondary plastics resulting from the fragmentation of larger items. While most ecotoxicity studies look at primary nanoplastics (lab-designed, with defined properties), the article argues that they could still be used to define the criteria for evaluation of the physico-chemical properties of (secondary) nanoplastics most relevant for risk assessment (You can read the NIA position paper on nanoplastics here).