Sep 17 2008
A key step forward in regulating the responsible use of nanomaterials in industry has been achieved by Thomas Swan and Co Ltd after the company’s nanotube product received the sector’s first manufacturing consent order from the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The move sets the standard for future control of this developing and highly innovative sector and follows completion of the review of Swan’s nanomaterial Pre-Manufacturing Notice (PMN) by the EPA.
The PMN completed review and the consent order was issued for a multi-walled carbon nanotube product from Swan Chemical Inc. of Lyndhurst, New Jersey, after several months of collaboration between the company and EPA experts. Swan Chemical Inc. is the subsidiary of the UK’s Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. for North and South America.
The PMN and consent order apply to Swan’s Elicarb® MW product – a multi-walled carbon nanotube that has potential in many new applications including ultra-strength composites and high performance electronics.
Chuck Van Fleet, President of Swan Chemical Inc., commented: “The work with the EPA has validated the responsible approach that key players need to adopt in this industry to ensure that it develops in a controlled, managed environment. This is an important step in our strategy to ensure our nanomaterials customers can work with identical materials from early-stage research through product development to the full commercialization of their projects.”
Van Fleet indicated that further collaboration was ongoing and that Swan’s future work with the EPA should soon include a PMN and consent order for single-walled carbon nanotubes. So far, Swan has been working with industry and governmental agencies and contractors on nanomaterial development projects in advanced composites including heat and electricity conducting plastics, high-strength materials and several electronics applications including memory systems and flat-screen display technology.
The Swan data has also been committed to the Nanomaterials Stewardship Program, an EPA initiative to collect and record information about nanomaterial use in industry.
Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. – the UK based parent company of Swan Chemical Inc. - is a European leader in standard-setting in the chemical and related industries. The company was among the first to achieve the International Standards Organisation (ISO) 14001, 9001 accreditation for Environmental Management and was a pioneer of the Chemical Industries Association Responsible Care program.
Harry Swan, Managing Director of Thomas Swan & Co. Ltd. commented: “The growing interest and use of nanomaterials offers considerable potential in a wide range of exciting applications but it is vital that their use is accompanied by appropriate regulation and control. We have therefore welcomed the opportunity to work with the EPA on the use of nanomaterials and will continue to help set standards in the development of this important technology”.