This report summarizes the results of a survey on domestic and international safety information and regulatory trends for nanomaterials conducted by the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry in FY 2024.
Nanomaterials, due to their unique physical and chemical properties, are expected to have innovative applications across various fields including electronics, medicine, energy, and environment. However, careful evaluation of their potential impacts on health and environment is also required.
This survey conducted detailed analysis of safety assessment methods for nanomaterials, regulatory framework development status, and international standardization trends both domestically and internationally. Particularly, comparative examination of regulatory approaches in OECD, EU, United States, and Asian countries, as well as organization of the latest scientific knowledge were performed.
Survey results confirmed that safety assessment of nanomaterials requires special considerations different from conventional chemical substances. It became clear that nano-specific characteristics such as particle size, surface area, surface chemistry, and aggregation state are significantly related to biological effects.
Additionally, issues for the future were identified including the importance of international coordination in regulatory development, promotion of dialogue between industry and regulatory authorities, and accumulation and sharing of safety data.
The survey results are expected to be utilized as important reference materials in future regulatory policy development and safety assessment guideline establishment for nanomaterials.