FICHE D’INFORMATION SUR LA DÉFINITION DES NANOMATÉRIAUX

This fact sheet argues that a precise legal definition of nanomaterials is a critical prerequisite for implementing mandatory risk assessment and management procedures. It notes that while nanotechnology offers benefits across various sectors, including energy, it also poses risks to human health and the environment. The document highlights the difficulty of establishing such a definition due to the rapid evolution of scientific understanding and measurement technologies.

• Nanotechnology involves the synthesis, visualization, configuration, and manipulation of particles at the atomic or molecular scale, offering potential technical and economic benefits in sectors such as energy production and storage, medicine, electronics, textiles, cosmetics, and food processing.
• The use of nanomaterials presents risks to the environment and human health, necessitating legal requirements for risk assessment and management before market introduction, as voluntary options have historically failed.
• A precise legal definition is essential for regulation; a definition that is too restrictive allows nanomaterials to enter the market without proper assessment, while one that is too broad includes materials that do not require nano-specific safety procedures.
• Creating a science-based legal definition for nanotechnology is difficult because scientific understanding of the materials and the associated imaging and measurement technologies are evolving rapidly.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (2014). FICHE D’INFORMATION SUR LA DÉFINITION DES NANOMATÉRIAUX. https://www.ciel.org/reports/nanomaterials-definition-fact-sheet-nov-2014/

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. FICHE D’INFORMATION SUR LA DÉFINITION DES NANOMATÉRIAUX. 2014. https://www.ciel.org/reports/nanomaterials-definition-fact-sheet-nov-2014/.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=FICHE D’INFORMATION SUR LA DÉFINITION DES NANOMATÉRIAUX |date=1 November 2014 |url=https://www.ciel.org/reports/nanomaterials-definition-fact-sheet-nov-2014/ |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallaw2014fiche, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{FICHE D’INFORMATION SUR LA DÉFINITION DES NANOMATÉRIAUX}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, year = {2014}, month = nov, url = {https://www.ciel.org/reports/nanomaterials-definition-fact-sheet-nov-2014/}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }