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Advancing Nanoplastics Together: ANSI Nanotechnology Standards Panel Report Details Standards and Engagement Priorities

10/28/2024

Today, the ANSI Nanotechnology Standards Panel (ANSI-NSP) released new findings highlighting critical standardization and engagement recommendations for the growing field of nanoplastics. ANSI-NSP’s report, based on expert feedback and insights from its recent virtual workshop, emphasizes needs in two key areas: measurement and characterization techniques, and the assessment of health and environmental effects.

Access the ANSI-NSP report on nanoplastics.

The Escalating Impact of Particles Too Small to See

Nanoplastics can enter the environment when they are released directly, and they can also form when larger plastic items break down. These tiny particles can escape into ecosystems, and have potentially toxic effects.

“Globally, there is growing interest in nanoplastics due to questions about their presence in organisms, including humans, workplace, and environmental exposures, and their potential impacts,” said Dr. Shaun Clancy, chair of ANSI-NSP.

To that end, a major obstacle in nanoplastics research is the variation in how these particles are defined and measured.

ANSI-NSP’s “Standards Needs for Nanoplastics” workshop in September brought together representatives from U.S. standards developing organizations (SDOs)and government with nano experts to drive awareness of nanoplastics and identify priority standardization topics. The two-day event included an overview of domestic and international standards activities. Access workshop presentations.

Learning from Each Other: ANSI-NSP Findings Reflect Participant Insights

Outcomes of the meeting, as outlined in the report, included general agreement on a need for relevant reference materials, appropriate measurement techniques, and consideration of nanoplastics in relevant environmental matrices (water, air, sediment).

In particular, the report identifies several specific standardization needs related to nanoplastics, including the establishment of consistent terminology, the need for relevant reference materials that mimic real-world scenarios, and a risk management framework for nanoplastics that are material-specific.

Additionally, ANSI-NSP identified a number of engagement needs, noting in its report that it will be useful for stakeholders to engage in pre-standardization activities. To that end, coordination of efforts is necessary, “not only amongst the various SDOs working in nanotechnology standardization, but also collaboration with governments and industry,” the report asserts.

Access the report and the poll reflecting stakeholder insights and read more about ANSI-NSP.

What is ANSI-NSP?

Now in its twentieth year, the ANSI-NSP was established at the request of Dr. John Marburger in 2004, then director of the Office and Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), to coordinate the development of standards, including nomenclature, in the area of nanotechnology. The ANSI-NSP supports standards development that enables the safety and efficiency of nanotechnology-driven materials, products, and processes.

Related News:

Standards Needs for Nanoplastics: Register for Virtual ANSI Nanotechnology Standards Panel Event


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