The German Environment Agency (UBA) will hold a conference on December 5-6, 2019, on “Advanced Materials — 1st Thematic Conference.”  UBA uses the term “advanced materials” to refer to a heterogeneous group of new or modified materials with improved properties for intended applications.  According to UBA, for a certain number of these new materials, their potential risk may not be driven by their chemical identity alone but may also be determined by their physical and morphological properties.  Therefore, UBA states, it is necessary to verify whether the provisions and instruments established for current chemical safety assessment still allow an appropriate risk assessment of these materials or if there is a need for adaptation.  In addition, it is necessary to check whether these materials feature challenges within other relevant environmental areas (e.g., they may pose disposal problems or limit recycling capabilities).  UBA is inviting stakeholders, including representatives of regulatory authorities, science, industry, and non-governmental organizations, to a series of thematic conferences.  The aim of the first thematic conference is to present an overview on the multitude of advanced materials and their potential applications.  In addition, the relevance of these materials and possibilities to categorize or define them shall be discussed.  Additional meetings are scheduled for June 2020 and May 2021.

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