Consultation on improving information on nanos in France

Newsflash
declaration information r-nano regulation science and society transparency

The French Ministry of Ecological Transition has launched a consultation on the format and content of the r-nano report published each year.
The survey, composed of around twenty questions, is to be completed online by October 18.

Towards a new, more accessible and usable format?

The French Ministry of Ecological Transition’s General Direction of Risks Prevention (DGPR) has launched a consultation on the format and content of the r-nano report published each year on the Ministry of Ecological Transition‘s website and the R-Nano register site, as part of a “reflection on a possible revision of its format”. To this end, it has published this survey, composed of around twenty open and closed questions, to be completed by September 30.

→ The stakes are indeed high: in its current state, the annual report is poorly accessible and usable (over 1,000 pages for the latest pdf report posted online, lists à la Prévert where pivot tables would be far more useful, etc.). Each year, AVICENN strives to extract the most useful and salient information1See, for example, our articles on the last 2 reports, published in April 2024 and April 2023, but it’s a rather tedious exercise. This is borne out by the small number of references to this annual review in scientific articles, institutional publications, the media and social networks.

For those of you who would like to dig deeper, here’s also :

Other projects underway for the r-nano register

Other works are underway at the French national health agency (Anses) to enhance the robustness and use of data from the r-nano register, and will be unveiled at the end of 2024.

For its part, AVICENN has been asking for several years for measures without which transparency and vigilance on nanos will remain empty words:

  • Include, in the r-nano register, products containing declared nanos and make available to the public information on these products and the precise volumes of nanosubstances declared, by sector of use (agriculture, paints, cosmetics, food, etc.); these data are necessary for improving risk assessment and minimizing potential unintended exposure and environmental contamination resulting from their use.

[This newsflash was has been amended to update the consultation deadline, set for September 30 and then October 18, 2024].

Next nano events

1
Juin
2025
Controlling the risks associated with nanomaterials (CEA, Online)
On line
Training
  • E-learning program: awareness-raising for personnel who come into contact with nanomaterials during research, formulation, production, maintenance, cleaning, upkeep, etc., as well as safety coordinators or engineers, facility managers, heads of laboratories where nanoparticles are handled.
  • Organizers: INSTN Grenoble (CEA)
  • On the program:
    • 1 – Introduction, definition and characteristics of nanomaterials
    • 2 – Toxicity of nanomaterials: the state of knowledge
    • 3 – Metrology and characterization of nanomaterials
    • 4 – Prevention and protection against nanomaterials in the workplace
    • 5 – Quiz: assessment of learning outcomes
  • The 2-hour course can be viewed for one month from the date of registration.
  • Website: https://instn.cea.fr/…risques-lies-aux-nanomateriaux…
1
Juin
2025
Applications of Nanomaterials to Sustainably Address Water, Food, and Health (Newry, Maine – United States)
Newry, Maine
Conference
11
Juin
2025
Risk assessment of nanomaterials and materials containing small/nanoparticles in the food and feed chain (EFSA, Brussels & online)
On line
Workshop
additives
food
characterization
detection
  • Workshop on risk assessment of nanomaterials and materials containing small/nanoparticles in the food and feed chain
  • Organizer: EFSA
  • This workshop will present the proposed strategy for updating the EFSA Nano Guidance documents, aiming to merge them into a single guidance on risk assessment for nanomaterials and small/nanoparticles in the food and feed chain.
    The event will provide an open platform for discussing key issues, approaches to addressing them, and ensuring the guidance reflects the latest scientific knowledge. Stakeholders will be encouraged to share experiences and engage with regulators, helping shape the updated guidance.
  • Website: www.efsa.europa.eu/en/events/workshop-risk-assessment-nanomaterials-and-materials-containing-smallnanoparticles-food-and

Notes and references