TY - JOUR
T1 - Tyre wear nanoparticles as test for a nano risk governance framework
AU - van Broekhuizen, Pieter
AU - Säämänen, Arto
AU - Schuurbiers, Daan
AU - Isigonis, Panagiotis
AU - Jensen, Keld Alstrup
AU - Kühnel, Dana
AU - Le Blansch, Kees
N1 - The projects have received funding from The European Union’s Horizon 2020 Research and Innovation Programme. NanoRigo under grant agreement 814530, Gov4Nano under grant agreement 814401, and RiskGONE under grant agreement 814425.
PY - 2022/12/12
Y1 - 2022/12/12
N2 - The Horizon 2020 consortia NanoRigo, Gov4Nano and RiskGONE jointly developed a nano risk governance framework (NRGF), fit for use for the practice of nanomaterials’ development and use, understandable and executable for stakeholders involved in manufacturing, using or regulating nanomaterials, or confronted with incidental exposure to generated nanomaterials. The NRGF includes risk management models, tools and approaches relevant to nanomaterials, as well as nano-oriented LCA and grouping, and takes into account socio-economic aspects and risk-benefit assessment. Special attention was paid to operationalizing concern assessment within the framework of the risk governance approach, emphasizing the different nature of quantitative risk assessment and qualitative concern assessment. The usefulness and added value of the NRGF was tested by means of a case study on rubber tyres. This case study performed a “mock-up” risk and concern assessment of the use of manufactured nanomaterials in the rubber tyre tread and the environmental release of tyre wear particles (TWP) from this tread during car driving. With a focus on the release and hazards of nano-TWP, an approach using the NRGF methodology was defined in collaboration with a group of real-life stakeholders. Simultaneously a group of scientific experts assessed the usefulness of the available tools and methods for assessing this nano-TWP release and investigated related broader societal concerns. The exercise concludes that so far, an exclusive risk assessment of nano-TWP is a step too far, due to the lack of nano-specific health- and environmental exposure and hazard data. Moreover, it seems that public concern about nano-sized TWP emissions is still limited, contrary to emerging scientific concerns. The case study underlines the complexity of deriving robust recommendations for “real-life” cases. Many questions remain on how to weigh the available technical and social evidence in nano risk governance.
AB - The Horizon 2020 consortia NanoRigo, Gov4Nano and RiskGONE jointly developed a nano risk governance framework (NRGF), fit for use for the practice of nanomaterials’ development and use, understandable and executable for stakeholders involved in manufacturing, using or regulating nanomaterials, or confronted with incidental exposure to generated nanomaterials. The NRGF includes risk management models, tools and approaches relevant to nanomaterials, as well as nano-oriented LCA and grouping, and takes into account socio-economic aspects and risk-benefit assessment. Special attention was paid to operationalizing concern assessment within the framework of the risk governance approach, emphasizing the different nature of quantitative risk assessment and qualitative concern assessment. The usefulness and added value of the NRGF was tested by means of a case study on rubber tyres. This case study performed a “mock-up” risk and concern assessment of the use of manufactured nanomaterials in the rubber tyre tread and the environmental release of tyre wear particles (TWP) from this tread during car driving. With a focus on the release and hazards of nano-TWP, an approach using the NRGF methodology was defined in collaboration with a group of real-life stakeholders. Simultaneously a group of scientific experts assessed the usefulness of the available tools and methods for assessing this nano-TWP release and investigated related broader societal concerns. The exercise concludes that so far, an exclusive risk assessment of nano-TWP is a step too far, due to the lack of nano-specific health- and environmental exposure and hazard data. Moreover, it seems that public concern about nano-sized TWP emissions is still limited, contrary to emerging scientific concerns. The case study underlines the complexity of deriving robust recommendations for “real-life” cases. Many questions remain on how to weigh the available technical and social evidence in nano risk governance.
KW - nanomaterials
KW - nanoparticles
KW - nanoplastics
KW - rubber tyre wear
KW - risk governance
KW - framework
KW - risk assessment
KW - case study
KW - risk governance framework
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85144930001&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3389/fenvs.2022.1045246
DO - 10.3389/fenvs.2022.1045246
M3 - Article
SN - 2296-665X
VL - 10
JO - Frontiers in Environmental Science
JF - Frontiers in Environmental Science
ER -