For cosmetic ingredients, the basics of risk characterisation are laid down in the SCCP's 'Notes of Guidance for the Testing of Cosmetic Ingredients and Their Safety Evaluation', which has not yet been adapted for the risk assessment of NM.
It is concluded that a single method of hazard characterisation would not be suitable for all kinds of risk assessments, and that a range of different approaches is necessary so that the method used is the most appropriate for the data available and for the risk characterisation issue.
It is important for a risk characterisation to consider significant transformation processes and changes of the nanoparticle properties, e.g. in STPs [16].
The proposed approach, applicable to metals in general, can be used in the context of REACH, for refining the risk characterisation and guiding the selection of risk management measures.
The update of the human risk assessment module in EUSES focuses on the risk characterisation for both threshold and non-threshold substances with, among others, the introduction of assessment factors.
Due to the lack of a PEC for NM-300K, no classic risk characterisation could be performed.
Relevance is defined as "the extent to which data and tests are appropriate for a particular hazard identification or risk characterisation" [5].
By implementation of quantitative and qualitative risk characterisation methods in the application for authorisation (Art. 62(4)(d) REACH in conjunction with Art. 14 and Annex I REACH) and its review by ECHA's committee for risk assessment (Art. 64(4) REACH), the authorisation scheme ensures the assessment of the risks in each application of SVHC in an article.
However, as a PEC for NM-300K was not available, the implementation of the risk characterisation had to be changed.
With regard to the outcome of RISKCYCLE, the obligations for products containing hazardous substances are of great concern, a risk characterisation is mandatory.
