September Fort Worth. 8th EU-US Joint Conference. Nano workgroup. Nanomaterial regulation in Europe Current workplace challenges Caroline Verdoot Advisor, FGTB

CONTENT Section 1. Context - Introduction Section 2. OSH issues Section 3. Legislative deficiencies Section 4. KEY MESSAGES TU positions and recommendations Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

SECTION 1 Context Working with nanomaterial s Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Nanomarket is fast growing Environmental and health impacts There are concerns that available information about nanomaterials is not sufficient to guarantee its safe use Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Routes of exposure: 1. Inhalation 2. Ingestion 3. Dermal NPs interaction with biological system: Deposition in organs Translocation Bioaccumulation Fiber Paradigm Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

SECTION 2 OSH ISSUES Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

EXPOSURE THROUGH ALL LIFE CYCLE Synthesis ProductionTransportationUseWaste ALL INDUSTRIAL SECTORS Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

1. Safety Data Sheets with nano-specific information 2. Employers need to provide specific training on how to handle nanomaterials. But employers, risk prevention services and occupational medicine services are themselves not always aware Information that guarantees the safe use is needed Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

SECTION 3 Legislative deficiencies Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Various elements: – Framework Directive of 1989 on Safety and health of workers at work – European Directive on chemical agents (98/24/CE) – REACH and CLP regulations – Cosmetics, waste, medicinal drugs, information for consumers… Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Nanomaterial definition  Commission recommandation (2011 – confirmed in 2014) "a natural, incidental or manufactured material containing particles, in an unbound state or as an aggregate or as an agglomerate and where, for 50 % or more of the particles in the number size distribution, one or more external dimensions is in the size range 1 nm-100 nm." Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

REACH does not work for nanos Nanomaterials are placed on the market without prior registration or monitoring (in contradiction with the REACH principle « No data-no market ») – Manufacturers and distributors rarely produce or import more than one tonne of nanomaterial per year – REACH does not require nano to be registred as new substances Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Difference bulk vs. nanomaterial There remains many unknowns about the appropriate handling and health effects of nanomaterials. Nanomaterials should be handled differently to traditional materials. Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

European civil society considers that REACH does not allow suffisent and dependable information to be obtained to evaluate and deal with the presumed risks Some Member States put in place their own traceability systems and registers for monitoring the marketing of nanomaterials Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

SECTION 4 KEY MESSAGES TU positions and recommendations Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

‘No data, no market’ When no data on hazards is available, workers must not be exposed and processes have to be performed in closed systems. Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Investment of public funds in scientific research into the risks potentially connected with exposure to nanomaterials Exchanges of good practices and international scientific cooperation (international guidelines) Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

SDS ought to contain informations about specific physical properties of the substance, give details of the form of the nano, container and type of storage & information on the risks Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Workers need a good understanding of nanomaterials to understand the benefits and risks. Therefore participation by workers in setting the appropriate prevention measures is a key factor. There is a need to identify the possible risks: Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Workers are in contact with nanomaterials Register the exposure Who is exposed to what? Who does what? Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

If exposure: introduce medical surveillance Long term non-specific examinations during and after the work life. Track exposure and detect possible patterns & diseases. Useful for epidemiological studies. Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

TU actions Organization of trainings and information sessions Examination of work places Awareness campaign of politicians for the building of a national register (collaboration with NGO’s) Knowledge sharing within international trade union network Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015

Thank you. Caroline Verdoot Fort Worth 2015