The NanoHarmony project made a significant mark in the field of nanomaterial testing. Launched in April 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, the project quickly adapted to the new norm of online collaboration, bringing together a dedicated team of 14 partners and 18 associated partners worldwide. This collective effort has yielded substantial progress in developing internationally harmonised test methods for nano and advanced materials, benefiting industry, regulation, science, and society at large. NanoHarmony was completed in 2023.

White Paper From Science to Regulation

The NanoHarmony project published 'From Science to Regulation', a white paper on OECD Test Guideline development. International agreement on methodologies to test and characterise chemicals and advanced (nano)materials is essential to protect human health and the environment. For regulations to be effective and for manufacturers to be able to comply with regulatory requirements, the OECD Test Guidelines (TGs) need to remain up to date and fit for purpose. Using feedback from relevant stakeholders, NanoHarmony provides eight recommendations in four key areas to help improve the effectiveness of the TG development process of moving new methods from science to regulation more efficiently.

Several RIVM colleagues were involved: Flemming R. Cassee, Eric Bleeker, Susan Dekkers, Monique Groenewold, Ilse Gosens, Adrienne Sips and Agnes Oomen.

Funding

This project received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 885931.