NanoRef : coordination of standardization activities for safety related to nanoparticles

The European Technology Platform on Industrial Safety (ETPIS), Nanodevice, Nanofutures and several other initiatives such as Nanosafe or Saphir projects have similar objectives on the improvement of the management of the risks related to nanoparticles and the sharing of best practices using standardization. The standardization appears to be a key valorization and output of collaborative research, especially of the research performed on emerging technologies. It enables to share knowledge and good practices in an effective way, in particular giving the access of the information to SMEs and contributing to effective, clear and transparent governance. CEN has launched the STAIR initiative (An Integrated Approach for Standardization, Innovation and Research) that is encouraged to be applied to research projects dealing with emerging technologies. Regarding nanotechnologies CEN has started standardization work on classification, terminology and nomenclature metrology, measurement and characterization (including procedures for calibration), health, safety and environmental issues; and nanotechnology products and processes. Recently, CEN accepted a mandate M/461 requesting to develop the standardization deliverables listed in its Annex I - Characterization of and exposure from nanomaterials and Annex II - Health, Safety, and Environment of the mandate. The CEN/TC 352 Nanotechnologies was asked to take care of. this mandate which recommends that the work to be performed should take into account on-going pre-normative R&D. Conscious of the needs and the opportunities for the European innovative industry, a group of persons, coming from Nanodevice, ETPIS & Nanofutures, have decided to write this paper to start an initiative aiming at capitalizing the results from several European and national projects into standardization documents, and providing proposals to address the mandate M/461. This group invites other experts to join and achieve effective results