28/10/2008
In a letter dated 9 October, Holland’s main central labour body, the FNV, called on the Dutch Labour Minister to introduce specific preventive measures for workers exposed to nanomaterials.

“The FNV cannot accept the existing indistinctness on the protective measures that should be taken by companies to assure sufficient protection when working with nanoparticles. The Labour Inspectorate does not have the tools needed to provide employers with corrective advices in protecting workers. This situation is unacceptable and needs to be solved immediately”, argues the trade union in its letter to the Minister.

The FNV believes that all the steps taken to encourage producers and employers to voluntarily publicise the presence of nanoparticles in products have failed. It is therefore calling on the Dutch government to follow the French government’s lead, which it says is poised to introduce a compulsory requirement to supply the authorities with details of nanomaterials present in products placed on the market or imported into France.

The FNV also wants the presence of nanoparticles to be signalled in the safety data sheets that accompany hazardous substances used in workplaces.