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Stone V, Führ M, Feindt PH, Bouwmeester H, Linkov I, Sabella S, Murphy F, Bizer K, Tran L, Ågerstrand M, Fito C, Andersen T, Anderson D, Bergamaschi E, Cherrie JW, Cowan S, Dalemcourt JF, Faure M, Gabbert S, Gajewicz A, Fernandes TF, Hristozov D, Johnston HJ, Lansdown TC, Linder S, Marvin HJP, Mullins M, Purnhagen K, Puzyn T, Sanchez Jimenez A, Scott-Fordsmand JJ, Streftaris G, van Tongeren M, Voelcker NH, Voyiatzis G, Yannopoulos SN, Poortvliet PM. The Essential Elements of a Risk Governance Framework for Current and Future Nanotechnologies. Risk Anal 2018; 38:1321-1331. [PMID: 29240986 DOI: 10.1111/risa.12954] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 11/06/2017] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Societies worldwide are investing considerable resources into the safe development and use of nanomaterials. Although each of these protective efforts is crucial for governing the risks of nanomaterials, they are insufficient in isolation. What is missing is a more integrative governance approach that goes beyond legislation. Development of this approach must be evidence based and involve key stakeholders to ensure acceptance by end users. The challenge is to develop a framework that coordinates the variety of actors involved in nanotechnology and civil society to facilitate consideration of the complex issues that occur in this rapidly evolving research and development area. Here, we propose three sets of essential elements required to generate an effective risk governance framework for nanomaterials. (1) Advanced tools to facilitate risk-based decision making, including an assessment of the needs of users regarding risk assessment, mitigation, and transfer. (2) An integrated model of predicted human behavior and decision making concerning nanomaterial risks. (3) Legal and other (nano-specific and general) regulatory requirements to ensure compliance and to stimulate proactive approaches to safety. The implementation of such an approach should facilitate and motivate good practice for the various stakeholders to allow the safe and sustainable future development of nanotechnology.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martin Führ
- Darmstadt University of Applied Sciences, Department of Social and Cultural Sciences, Society for Institutional Analysis (Sofia), Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Peter H Feindt
- Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Hans Bouwmeester
- Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
- RIKILT Wageningen UR, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Igor Linkov
- Carnegie Mellon University and the U.S. Army Engineer Research and Development Center, Concord, MA, USA
| | | | - Finbarr Murphy
- Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Kilian Bizer
- Georg August University Göttingen, Göttingen, Lower Saxony, Germany
| | - Lang Tran
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Marlene Ågerstrand
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Carlos Fito
- Instituto Tecnológico del Embalaje, Transporte y Logística (ITENE), Spain
| | | | | | - Enrico Bergamaschi
- Department of Public Health and Pediatrics, University of Turin, Torino, Italy
| | - John W Cherrie
- Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
- Institute of Occupational Medicine, Edinburgh, UK
| | - Sue Cowan
- Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, UK
| | | | - Michael Faure
- Maastricht University, Maastricht, The Netherlands
- Erasmus School of Law, Rotterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Silke Gabbert
- Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Agnieszka Gajewicz
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemometrics, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | | | | | | | | | | | - Martin Mullins
- Kemmy Business School, University of Limerick, Limerick, Ireland
| | - Kai Purnhagen
- Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands
| | - Tomasz Puzyn
- Laboratory of Environmental Chemometrics, University of Gdańsk, Gdańsk, Poland
| | | | | | | | - Martie van Tongeren
- Centre for Occupational and Environmental Health, University of Manchester, Manchester, UK
| | - Nicolas H Voelcker
- Monash Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia
| | - George Voyiatzis
- Foundation for Research & Technology, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras, Greece
| | - Spyros N Yannopoulos
- Foundation for Research & Technology, Institute of Chemical Engineering Sciences (FORTH/ICE-HT), Patras, Greece
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Ågerstrand M, Brenig M, Führ M, Schenten J. Refining tools to bridge the gap between academia and chemical regulation: perspectives for WikiREACH. Environ Sci Process Impacts 2017; 19:1466-1473. [PMID: 29205242 DOI: 10.1039/c7em00422b] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/07/2023]
Abstract
Regulatory hazard and risk assessments of chemical substances have to include all reliable and relevant data to be credible and complete. However, screening the literature for appropriate studies and extracting data is burdensome. Therefore, reducing impediments by making data easily and readily accessible to risk assessors could result in more comprehensive hazard and risk assessments. In this paper, we study WikiPharma, a database that aggregates ecotoxicity data for pharmaceuticals, extracted from peer-reviewed studies. The use of the WikiPharma database is explored to develop strategies on how similar tools can bridge between science and policy by providing risk assessors with easily accessible summary data. Specifically, adapting the concept of WikiPharma to industrial chemicals regulated under the REACH regulation is discussed. Experiences with WikiPharma show that there is interest in using peer-reviewed studies in regulatory decision-making. However, tools like WikiPharma require constant updates. Hence, as for "WikiREACH", effective incentives are needed to motivate researchers to feed in relevant data for regulatory assessments. Besides, support by automated processes can aid in the labour-intensive activity of gathering data. To ensure that such a tool is continuously maintained and compatible with the regulatory system, and thereby useful for hazard and risk assessments of chemicals, it would benefit from being developed in collaboration with the major stakeholders in the field, i.e. regulatory agencies, academia, industry, scientific journals, and providers of research network platforms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Ågerstrand
- Department of Environmental Science and Analytical Chemistry (ACES), Stockholm University, SE-106 91 Stockholm, Sweden.
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Schenten J, Führ M. SVHC in imported articles: REACH authorisation requirement justified under WTO rules. Environ Sci Eur 2016; 28:21. [PMID: 27752454 PMCID: PMC5044971 DOI: 10.1186/s12302-016-0090-9] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [What about the content of this article? (0)] [Affiliation(s)] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/18/2016] [Accepted: 08/01/2016] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
The purpose of the REACH Regulation is to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment as well as the free circulation of substances on the internal market while enhancing competitiveness and innovation. To this end, REACH introduces, among other instruments, the authorisation regime for substances of very high concern (SVHC) that are listed on Annex XIV of the regulation. After expiration of the transitional period for each Annex XIV-SVHC, articles, such as most products of daily use, produced in the European Economic Area (EEA) may not contain such substances unless an authorisation was granted for the specific use or this use falls within the scope of an exemption from the authorisation requirement. The authorisation scheme does, however, only apply to SVHC used in the EEA. As a consequence, REACH does not regulate SVHC entering the European market as part of imported articles which burden human health and the environment. Moreover, from an economic perspective, domestic articles are subject to stricter requirements than those which are produced abroad, putting actors from within the EEA at competitive disadvantage and thus impeding the intention of REACH to enhance competitiveness and innovation. One option to close this regulatory gap could be to extend the authorisation requirement to SVHC present in imported articles. A legal appraisal on behalf of the German Environment Agency (UBA) assesses whether such option would be in accordance with the specifications of WTO world trade law. It concludes that, measured by the standards of the WTO dispute settlement practice, such an extended authorisation scheme would neither violate the principles of national treatment and most-favoured nation treatment. Also, such regulation would not constitute an unnecessary obstacle to trade, since the extended authorisation requirement would pursue a legitimate objective covered by the regulatory autonomy of the EU and, furthermore, the regulation would not be more trade-restrictive than necessary. The contribution at hand summarises the main findings while taking into account first reactions to the legal appraisal.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Schenten
- Society for Institutional Analysis (sofia) at the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, Haardtring 100, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
| | - Martin Führ
- Society for Institutional Analysis (sofia) at the University of Applied Sciences Darmstadt, Haardtring 100, 64295 Darmstadt, Germany
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