Responsible Approach to Nanotechnology
At Henkel, the safe handling of nanomaterials follows the same principles worldwide as for all other chemical materials.
We are actively involved in dialogue with national and international authorities, industry associations, and other stakeholders to support the safe use of nanomaterials. Henkel makes great efforts to ensure the safety of our products for people and the environment. Regarding the safe use of nanomaterials, we at Henkel apply the same principles as for all other raw materials. Our experts evaluate our products to identify any potential risks. The evaluations are based on recognized scientific methods resulting in a high level of safety in the production, application and disposal of our products. Our products are only approved and put on the market once their safety and compatibility have been demonstrated.
Nanomaterials are generated by applying nanotechnology. Nanotechnology (from the Greek nãnos, meaning dwarf) is a collective term used to describe a broad range of technologies devoted to the research, processing and production of devices and structures at dimensions of less than 100 nanometers. A nanometer is a billionth of a meter (10-9 m). The aim of nanotechnology is to create and use structures, devices and systems whose tiny size generates novel properties and functions.
Henkel has been investigating the field of nanotechnology for many years and generally sees innovative potential for products based on nanotechnology.
Up to now, we have marketed only a few products that contain nanomaterials. Currently, these are mainly adhesive products for industrial or professional use. The nanomaterials in consumer products are subject to safety assessments, both in EU regulations and frameworks in countries such as US, Japan, and Australia. In addition, labeling for nanomaterials is already required by law. Even though the current EU Cosmetics Regulation contains a definition and a declaration obligation for nanomaterials for the first time, there are still no standardized determination methods. In accordance with the current definition of nanomaterials in the Cosmetics Regulation, we do not manufacture any cosmetic products containing such nanomaterials.
Our customers and consumers can count on the safety and compatibility of Henkel products and technologies, including those based on nanotechnology.