The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit has ordered the EPA to reevaluate its decision to conditionally register two nanosilver textile products. The plaintiffs in NRDC v. EPA disagreed with the EPA’s approval and finding that the materials in question are not a risk concern and, therefore, do not require mitigation in conjunction with the EPA’s own mitigation rule. Given the court’s ruling that the registrations are invalid, the EPA may end up evaluating ways to mitigate oral and dermal exposure to these specific nanosilver products as part of its risk assessment prior to re-approval. However, it is not certain yet exactly how the EPA will respond to the court’s decision. The textile industry is attracted to nanosilver because it possesses effective antimicrobial properties. Nonetheless, nanomaterials have very special characteristics resulting in expressions that are distinct from those exhibited by their much larger counterparts, leading to health and safety concerns. Read the story here.
