EU report outlines required human and environmental product test reforms
New methods on testing nanomaterials one of many recommendations
A joint report from the European Union’s (EU) scientific committees on emerging and newly identified health risks; consumer safety; and health and environmental risks has outlined necessary improvements for human and ecological risk assessments of products.
The committees conduct extensive checks on cosmetics. The paper calls for many changes, including new methods on testing nanomaterials; comparing and monitoring data on chemical mixes; and better assessments of polar and ionised chemicals. It adds that “major changes are also needed in the identification and characterisation of hazards to humans”. And it says ‘in vitro’ preparations maintaining in vivo characteristics of tissues and organs over weeks to months should be developed. *http://ec.europa.eu/health/scientific_committees/emerging/docs/scenihr_o_037.pdf
