Unions Want Transparency on Worker Exposure to Nanomaterials

The Executive Committee of the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) recently adopted a second resolution on Nanosciences and Nanotechnologies.

The resolution is a result of the work done by the ETUC Working Group on Nanotechnologies and of the discussion during the seminar Nanotechnologies in national and European trade union strategies organized by the ETUI in October.

The aim of the resolution is to call for the protection of workers potentially exposed to nanomaterials in all sectors. It contains contributions that reaffirm the principles set out in the first ETUC resolution in June, such as the precautionary principle and the "no data, no market" principle.

The second ETUC resolution incorporates new subjects related to the technical and regulatory developments on the definition of nanomaterials, the need to adjust the legislative framework to integrate the principles of hygiene and traceability, and the role of standardization.

In particular with regard to the definition of nanomaterials, it should enable and support the generation of information and its dissemination in the supply chain in such a way that workers and consumers are informed when nanomaterials constitute an integral part of a substance (or a mixture) and whether nanomaterials can be released from related products.

One of the ETUC’s demands is the development of concrete measures in the workplace to identify who is exposed, to what extent and to what type of nanomaterials, and which prevention measures to install to avoid exposure. Moreover, the ETUC invites Member States to set up a register of workers’ exposure to nanoparticles in association with health surveillance programs.

It particularly addresses the concern that little emphasis is being placed on the social and ethical issues related to nanotechnologies and how they should be used to contribute to human well-being and the development of socially just societies.

The ETUC Deputy General Secretary, Joel Decaillon, stressed that the resolution on nanotechnologies aims to ensure the transparency and traceability of nanomaterials, and noted that it gave special attention to the inclusion of social aspects in the scope of their regulation.

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