IWWG - International Waste Working Group is a non-profit association that aims to provide a forum to encourage economic and ecological waste management world-wide and to promote scientific advancement in the field
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Task Group Leaders:
Nicole Berge, United States
berge@engr.sc.edu
Florian Part, Austria
florian.part@boku.ac.at

Contacts:
Nicole Berge
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
University of South Carolina
300 Main Street, Room C106
Columbia, SC 29208 USA
phone: +1 8037777521
email: berge@engr.sc.edu

Background

The unique properties of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) have enabled them to be used in a variety of consumer or industrial products, including construction materials, textiles, electronics, and medical devices. Examples of common consumer products containing ENMs include: cosmetics (TiO2, ZnO, Ag etc.), sporting goods (carbon nanotubes, fullerenes etc.), electronics (carbon nanotubes, quantum dots etc.), batteries (carbon nanotubes, graphene etc.), and textiles (Ag, carbon nanotubes).
As these ENM-laden materials and/or products reach the end of their useful life, the development of appropriate end-of-life management strategies is critical to minimize human and/or environment exposure. There are significant knowledge and data gaps associated with the fate of these embedded ENMs in waste management processes (e.g., landfilling, incineration, recycling) that limit our current ability to develop end-of-life strategies. The ultimate goal of this IWWG Task Group on Engineered Nanomaterials in Waste is to develop guidance on the appropriate end-of-life management strategies for these ENM-containing products and/or waste streams.

Aims & Objectives

The initial aims of the Task Group are to:

  • Develop and write a critical literature review detailing current knowledge associated with engineered nanomaterial-containing products/wastes and highlighting the data gaps and research needs for publication in Waste Management.
  • Compile literature that report on engineered nanomaterial-containing products/wastes, including what is known about material release from consumer products, material behaviour in waste environments, and analytical techniques.
  • Develop a policy statement regarding appropriate disposal options for engineered nanomaterial-containing products/wastes.
  • Develop appropriate protocols for conducting engineered nanomaterial-containing product/waste research in waste environments.

Members and Membership

To become a member please contact the Task Group Leaders.
The group is led by Nicole Berge from the University of South Carolina, US, together with Florian Part from University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna (AT)

Current members:

Nicole Berge, University of South Carolina (US)
Marion Huber-Humer, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (AT)
Florian Part, University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences (AT)
Wenji Sun, Southern Methodist University (AT)

Future activities

To be announced.

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