NICNAS welcomes new Parliamentary Secretary

Senator Jan McLucas

NICNAS welcomes Senator Jan McLucas, new Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Ageing.

Born in Far North Queensland, Senator McLucas trained at what is now James Cook University before commencing 10 years of teaching -mainly in North Queensland. She maintains a strong interest in education and a close involvement in the North Queensland community, with particular interest in health, the environment, childcare and indigenous and women’s issues.

In 1995 Sen. McLucas entered public life as a Cairns City Councillor, and joined the Senate in July 1999. A member of several Senate Committees, Sen. McLucas also chaired the two Senate Select Committees of Inquiry into Medicare and was Chair of the Senate Community Affairs Reference Committee. From Nov. 2004 to Nov. 2007 she was Shadow Minister for Ageing, Disabilities and Carers.

NICNAS and the Regulation of Nanomaterials

Nanotechnology is engineering at the atomic or molecular (group of atoms) level. It is a group of enabling technologies that involve the manipulation of matter at the nanoscale (generally accepted as 100 nanometres or less) to create new materials, structures and devices. At this very small scale, the chemical and physical properties of materials can change, such as colour, magnetism and the ability to conduct electricity. Nanomaterials are nanoscaled materials designed at a molecular level to produce products/materials that have unique and/or enhanced properties. At this scale, manufacturers of many products  (including cosmetics, surface coatings, water treatment and printing) can potentially utilise this fast-growing technology of nanomaterials.

Lead compounds in industrial surface coatings and inks

Proposed variation of AICS to proceed

In accordance with section 13A(1) of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989, the Director gave notice of a proposal to vary the particulars recorded in the AICS for certain lead compounds, in the Chemical Gazette of 5 June 2007. Under the proposal, the manufacture and importation of certain lead compounds for use in industrial surface coatings and inks and importation of industrial surface coatings and inks containing these compounds would be subject to certain conditions of use pursuant to section 13 of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989. A copy of the notice is reproduced as Attachment 1 on Page 6 of the February 2008 Chemical Gazette.

In accordance with section 13A(2)(d) of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989, the Director received statements giving reasons why the particulars published in the June 2007 issue of the Chemical Gazette for certain lead compounds in industrial surface coatings and inks should not be included in the AICS.

The statements were considered by the Director and the decision published on the NICNAS website in November 2007.

New Chemicals Fundamentals - NICNAS training as prelude to HAZMAT 2008

On Wednesday 14 May, NICNAS's New Chemicals team will present training sessions at the HAZMAT 2008 venue: The Sebel, Albert Park, Melbourne, covering a range of topics relevant to notifiers. 

Morning workshop (10am-1pm) Aimed at new notifiers and those needing a refresher course on NICNAS and the notification and assessment process. It will include AICS searching, exemptions, annual reporting, notification and assessment categories and an update on new Low Regulatory Concern Chemicals (LRCC) categories.

Afternoon workshop (2pm-5pm) A more in-depth look at the notification and assessment process including electronic template submissions, self-assessments and tips for producing a "complete" notification package. This workshop will be most suitable for those directly involved in preparing notification submissions.

Come to either workshop or come for the whole day. For more details and registration form, see: NICNAS Fundamentals, call Ms Julie Brown on 02 8577 8870 or email us. 

Thursday 15 May is the first day of the HAZMAT 2008 conference, and NICNAS Director Dr Marion Healy joins many other presenters and guests to speak on NICNAS's current review and reform activities as part of the day's Australian and international chemical management focus.

HazMat 2008 is the latest in a series of well-known annual conferences that each year present the latest directions and compliance requirements for chemicals, hazardous substances and dangerous goods to a wide audience.

Dangerous goods, risk assessment, training and emergency response are the focus of day two (Friday 16 May).

For more details, see HAZMAT 2008.

Lead in Cosmetics

NICNAS is aware of ongoing concerns about the presence of lead in cosmetics, particularly lipsticks. Links to cancer are often raised.

Health effects of lead
NICNAS recently reviewed the toxicity of lead as part of an assessment report on lead compounds in industrial surface coatings and inks. The toxicity of lead compounds is mostly related to the lead portion of the compounds. Lead compounds have well recognised, diverse effects on multiple body systems such as the nervous, gastrointestinal, reproductive and circulatory systems. However, there is no conclusive evidence that lead causes cancer. The World Health Organisation International Agency for Research on Cancer considers that evidence for carcinogenicity of lead in humans is inadequate.

International Chemical Safety update

PFOS, PFAS, PFOA, PFCA
In August 2007, the OECD published Lists of PFOS, PFAS, PFOA, PFCA, related compounds and chemicals that may degrade to PFCA.  The lists were compiled by the Environment Directorate, Joint meeting of the Chemicals Committee and the working party on Chemicals, Pesticides and Biotechnology. The document is No. 21 of the Series on Risk Management, OECD Environment, Health and Safety publications.

Manufactured nanomaterials
The OECD has released further information on its activities on the safety of manufactured nanomaterials. The initial work program included six projects:

• development of an OECD database on human and environmental safety research
• research strategies on manufactured nanomaterials
• safety testing of a representative set of manufactured naonmaterials
• manufactured nanomaterials and testing guidelines
• cooperation on voluntary schemes and regulatory programs, and
• cooperation on risk assessment. 

Two further projects have now been included in the work program:

• the role of alternative methods in nanotoxicology, and
• exposure measurement and exposure mitigation.

The OECD's Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials has also announced the launch of a sponsorship program for the testing of specific nanomaterials. It is intended that countries will share the testing of a representative set of nanomaterials for human health and environmental safety.

Registration of Soapmakers

Please note that soap making (or saponification) is a chemical reaction and hence this process is regarded by NICNAS as the manufacture of relevant industrial chemicals.

Under the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989 all Australian importers and/or manufacturers of relevant industrial chemicals for commercial purposes are required to register with NICNAS. 

A Fact Sheet on this topic will be available on the NICNAS website shortly. Please contact Dr Adrienne Adams by phone on 02 8577 8858 or by email  for more information.

Secondary Notifications

Chemicals currently undergoing (and previously requiring) secondary notification assessment

In the January Chemical Gazette, information was published on chemicals currently undergoing secondary notification and those chemicals that have required secondary notification in the past. This information was published in accordance with requirements under Section 71(1) and 71(2) of the Industrial Chemicals (Notification and Assessment) Act 1989, as amended: that the Director of NICNAS maintain a list of chemicals requiring secondary notification, and a list of chemicals that required, but no longer require, secondary notification. Section 71(3) requires these lists to be published once a year.

The chemicals on these lists were originally notified and assessed under either section 23 or 57 of the Act. Because new information became available that potentially impacted on the original assessment, these chemicals subsequently required secondary notification under section 65(1) or 64(2) of the Act. This enabled the original assessment to be updated.

The chemicals currently undergoing secondary notification are listed below.

Chemical/ Trade name	Original  Ref No.	Secondary   Ref No.	Company name
OLOA 270	NA/889	NA/889S	Oronite Australia P/L
Lanthanum Modified Clay (Phoslock)	NA/899	NA/899S	Intergrated Mineral Tech Ltd & CSIRO

Chemicals that have required secondary notification assessment in the past are listed below: