4th annual nanotechnology Safety for Success Dialogue Workshop

Many market modelers identify nanotechnologies as drivers of economic growth. Consequently, most governments in the industrialized and industrializing world adopted ambitious strategic, research and innovation, plans to ensure the commercial success of nanotechnologies and to harvest their fruits. Nanoscience and the nanotechnologies are progressing at a rapid pace. The number of potential and real applications is increasing rapidly, even when accounting for those claims relating to marketing rather than added-value. Like other artifacts designed, engineered, and used by humans, nanomaterials promise benefits and raise concerns, in particular for workers, the general public, and the environment. The international community has organized itself to address the potential safety aspects of nanomaterials, in particular under the auspices of the OECD Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials, and with the support of national and European scientific advisory bodies like the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks of the European Commission. Moreover, a number of regulatory developments have taken place, while the science was also advancing. The European Commission is therefore convening this international conference * to take stock of the fast advancing science needed for appropriate and effective policies; and * to analyze how these advances allow progress with respect to intelligence gathering, risk assessment, risk management, and safe design as outlined in the draft program below. Day 1: Tuesday, 29 March 2011 Introduction Session 1: "Detection , measurement, and characterization of manufactured nanomaterials" Session 2: "Definition, classification, and supporting methodologies of manufactured nanomaterials" Session 3: "Tests, methods, and guidelines for the risk assessment of manufactured nanomaterials" Day 2: Wednesday, 30 March 2011 Session 4: "Managing currently marketed manufactured nanomaterials" (four parallel sessions) * Break-out group 1 (INTELLIGENCE) TASK: To propose blue prints for market intelligence mechanisms and inventories * Break-out group 2 (RISK ASSESSMENT) TASK: To propose prioritized actions to move from a case-by-case risk assessment (RA) paradigm to a more generic framework * Break-out group 3 (RISK MANAGEMENT) TASK: To identify any possible improvements to the risk management of nanomaterials and to propose simple, efficient, and practical solutions * Break-out group 4 (SAFE DESIGN) TASK: To propose means to integrate safety into the design and development of nanomaterials Session 5: Reporting of the four parallel sessions and plenary discussion Session 6: Synthesis Close: Way forward Registration for participation on location or via web streaming is open until 1 March 2011 at: https://webgate.ec.europa.eu/fmi/scic/NANO11/start.php. Please note that, to be able to register, you will have to select a break-out group and to submit a short contribution. Break-out groups will therefore focus not on idea generation but rather on idea confrontation, consolidation, and prioritization. Resulting texts may be used for publication on the Internet. Contact: scic-conf-nano-2011@ec.europa.eu (for questions on registration and organisation) Contact: sanco-nano-dialogue-2011@ec.europa.eu (for questions on the contents only)