An international federation of trade unions representing the people who prepare and manufacture food is issuing a warning about the increasing use of nanomaterials by food manufacturers.

The EPA is proposing one-time reporting and recordkeeping requirements on nanoscale chemical substances in the marketplace. The agency currently reviews new chemical substances manufactured or processed as nanomaterials prior to introduction into the marketplace to ensure that they are safe.

Engineered nanomaterials are materials that are intentionally produced and have at least one primary dimension less than 100 nanometers (nm). Nanomaterials have properties different from those of larger particles of the same material, making them unique and desirable for specific product applications. The consumer products market currently has more than 1,000 nanomaterial-containing products including makeup, sunscreen, food storage products, appliances, clothing, electronics, computers, sporting goods, and coatings [WWICS 2011].

Consider the relative health risks in the selection of the type of wood used. Use for example the information in the publication ‘Less dust’ of the European social partners in the wood industr.

One barometer is to look at the recently formed working groups that will be holding meetings in Montreal: Nanotechnologyworking group; Incident preparation and responseworking group; Oil and gasworking group; Control bandingworking group; Clandestine laboratoryworking group; Green buildingworking group.