Considering that material innovations are funded with the objective to provide safer and more sustainable solutions compared to conventional chemicals and applications, it has to be ensured that the materials themselves are safe. However, safety research usually lags behind innovation. Therefore, the German federal authorities responsible for human and environmental safety, and metrology are accompanying the rapid pace of innovation of advanced materials with a long-term research strategy focusing on research needs from a regulatory perspective.
The strategy aims to guide and prioritise the German federal authorities’ research, but also intends to inform policy makers, funding bodies and the scientific community on regulatory relevant research needs for safe advanced materials. The presented strategy provides an agenda to safety research supporting Regulatory Preparedness for regulators and “Safe and Sustainable by Design” (SSbD) for innovators.
Areas covered by the strategy include:
For each of these areas, the strategy outlines the current state of research, research needs, and the expected impact of the research. Additionally, the strategy highlights cross-cutting topics that act as research enablers such as data collection according to the ‘FAIR principles’, digitisation, networking and education as well as state-of-the-art laboratories equipment. Furthermore, the research strategy provides an overview of current research on advanced materials by the responsible German federal authorities.
The now published “Strategic Research Agenda for safe advanced materials” is the fourth update of joint research strategies on nano and advanced materials of the German Higher Federal Authorities since 2007.
Joint research strategy:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/publikationen/strategic-research-agenda-for-safe-advanced
Working description on advanced materials of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD):
https://www.oecd.org/en/publications/advanced-materials-working-description_4b5ba38d-en.html
Communication of the European Commission on “Advanced Materials for Industrial Leadership”:
https://research-and-innovation.ec.europa.eu/research-area/industrial-research-and-innovation/chemicals-and-advanced-materials/advanced-materials-industrial-leadership_en
Information on UBA`s engagement for safety and sustainability of advanced materials:
https://www.umweltbundesamt.de/en/topics/chemicals/nanotechnology/advanced-materials
Frequently asked questions on Nanomaterials
https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/service/frequently-asked-questions/topic/nanomaterials-tiny-particles-mediate-manifold-properties/
Research on nanomaterials
https://www.bfr.bund.de/en/research/research-fields/toxicology/nanomaterials/
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) is a scientifically independent institution within the portfolio of the German Federal Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Regional Identity (BMLEH). It protects people's health preventively in the fields of public health and veterinary public health. The BfR provides advice to the Federal Government as well as the Federal States (‘Laender’) on questions related to food, feed, chemical and product safety. The BfR conducts its own research on topics closely related to its assessment tasks.
Joint press release from the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), the German Environment Agency (UBA, the Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM), the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) and the National Metrology Institute (PTB)