Is Nanotechnology a threat to Insurance Industry?

Transcription

1 Is Nanotechnology a threat to Insurance Industry? May 18, 2017 Jelena Buha, PhD Zurich Commercial Insurance / Risk Engineering 2017 Global Risk Engineering Conference

2 Outline Introduction and classification of Nanomaterials (NMs) Types of NMs Properties of NMs Applications of NMs Future trends Why should insurance industry assess NMs? Toxicology of NMs NanoTool: assessment methodology General findings 2

3 3 WHY SHOULD INSURANCE INDUSTRY ASSESS NMS?

4 Why should insurance industry assess NMs? Size matters A gold bar is not the same as nanogold particles Impact Any incident in any industry, has an immediate effect on insurance companies Emerging risk Nano is still on the emerging risk list of some insurance companies or associations for being potentially a second asbestos case Knowledge gap Not enough studies on human hazard / environmental hazard potentials are available Regulatory requirement ECHA (REACH) EPA (TSCA) NIOSH, OSHA and NTP ECHA (European Chemical Agency): REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals) EPA (Environmental Protection Agency): Toxic Substance Control Act (TSCA) NIOSH (National Institute for Occupational Safety), OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) and NTP (National Toxicological Program) 4

5 Toxicological evaluation Toxicological evaluation is substance-based For a given substance, a corresponding classification / hazard class exists. LD50 (lethal dose) value corresponds to concentration of the substance which leads to a 50% probability of death. Examples Cyanide LD50 = 140 mg (adult) Carbon monoxide LD50 = ppm (adult, more than 60 min) Chloroform LD50 = 695 mg/kg (rat, oral) Ethanol LD50 = mg/kg (rat, oral; human being 3-4 ) BaCO 3 LD50 = 418 mg/kg (rat, oral) 5

6 Asbestos, the miracle fiber that failed For a long time asbestos showed no toxicity and was considered safe However, asbestos microfibers enter the respiratory system causing severe damage to the lungs (asbestosis) that can lead to cancer General ban of asbestos in the 1990s over $100bn losses for US casualty industry only

7 7 CAN THE SAME HAPPEN WITH NMS?

8 Toxicology of NMs Possible additional hazards through nano-properties: Potential asbestos-like behavior (some materials) Nanomaterials diversity (nanoparticles, nanorods, nanotubes etc.) Finer particles favor the absorption into the body (NMs are small enough to enter the pulmonary alveoli bloodstream brain) Important considerations: NMs synthesized in liquid phase are usually agglomerated after drying their size is >500 nm do not enter the bloodstream Main source: gas phase based pyrolysis or physical processes Main exposure: workplace and non-embedded products 8

9 Risk assessment tool (NanoTool) Motivation and Goals Identifying nanomaterials (NMs) used widely and/or of high concern industries related to NM of interest respective workers / consumers risks respective gradual / accidental environmental pollution risks Providing hazard, exposure and risk assessment for each NMs Support UW in Nanotechnology positioning Out of scope: risk appetite, UW measures, exclusions etc. To be translated and provided to SVV members upon request Main contributors: Swiss Re, XL-Catlin, Zurich, SVV 9

10 NanoTool: NMs (to be) assessed Used widely with potential Environmental Health & Safety concerns Carbon black Carbon nanotubes Cerium oxide Copper nanoparticles Iron oxide nanoparticles Titanium dioxide Silica amorphous Silver nanoparticles Zinc oxide Not yet used widely with lower Environmental Health & Safety concerns Fullerenes Graphene Gold nanoparticles Nanoclay Quantum dots 10

11 NanoTool: assessment methodology overview Hazard parameters humans environment Exposure calculation per industry and LoB considering typical uses over lifecycle Risk calculation per industry (NAICS1 code) Raw material production Additional information: Most relevant applications Wide spread use Production volumes Disposal and Recycling Life Cycle Material further Processing Use 11

12 NanoTool: hazard parameters Human Hazard toxicity carcinogenicity mutagenicity reproductive toxicity Environmental Hazard persistence / bioaccumulation aquatic toxicity other (e.g. microbial resistance) 12

13 Human and Environmental Hazard per NM with respective production volumes General information on production processes and existing and or potential applications are summarized (based on publicly available sources) For each of the assessed NMs, general production volume and spread are presented for informative purpose. All numbers are estimates Nanomaterial 100-1'000 Global production volumes (tons / year) 1'000-10'000 10' ' '000-1'000'000 Number of products >1'000'000 < >1000 Amorphous silica x x Carbon black x x CNTs x x Silver NPs x x Titanium dioxide NPs x x Zinc oxide NPs x x 13

14 Risks related to NMs: assessment principles Risks are shown for each NM over all life cycle phases per industry Production Use W Ep C Ec Workers bodily injury risk at the production site Environmental pollution risk at the production site Consumers bodily injury risk during the product use Environmental pollution risk during the use phase 0 = no relevant risk assessed; x = not a valid combination Higher number shows higher risk for the NM of interest from an insurance perspective (scale: green for lower and red for higher risks) Amorphous silica Carbon black NAICS INDUSTRY W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec CNTs Titanium dioxide nanoparticles Silver nanoparticles Zinc oxide nanoparticles 11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 0 0 x x 0 0 x x 0 0 x x x x 0 0 x x 0 0 x x 236 Construction of Buildings Food Manufacturing Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing /314/315 Textiles & Apparels Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing Wood Product Manufacturing Paper Manufacturing Printing and Related Support Activities

15 Risks related to NMs: overview Amorphous silica Carbon black Silver nanoparticles Zinc oxide nanoparticles NAICS INDUSTRY W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec W Ep C Ec 11 Agriculture, Forestry, Fishing and Hunting Mining, Quarrying, and Oil and Gas Extraction 0 0 x x 0 0 x x 0 0 x x x x 0 0 x x 0 0 x x 236 Construction of Buildings Food Manufacturing Beverage and Tobacco Product Manufacturing /314/315 Textiles & Apparels Leather and Allied Product Manufacturing Wood Product Manufacturing Paper Manufacturing Printing and Related Support Activities /3251 Chemical Manufacturing (inlcuding Base Chemical Mfc.) 28 7 x x x x x x x x x x x x 3252 Resin, Synthetic Rubber, and Artificial Synthetic Fibers 28 7 x x x x x x 0 0 x x x x x x 3253 Pesticide, Fertilizer, and Other Agricultural Chemical Mfc Pharmaceutical and Medicine Manufacturing Paint, Coating, and Adhesive Manufacturing Soap, Cleaning Compound, and Toilet Preparation Mfc Printing Ink Manufacturing Plastics and Rubber Products Manufacturing Nonmetallic Mineral Product Manufacturing Primary Metal Manufacturing 0 0 x x 0 0 x x x x 0 0 x x 0 0 x x 0 0 x x 332 Fabricated Metal Product Manufacturing Machinery Manufacturing Computer and Electronic Product Manufacturing Electrical Equipment, Appliance, and Component Mfc Transportation Equipment Manufacturing Furniture and Related Product Manufacturing Miscellaneous Manufacturing Medical Equipment and Supplies Manufacturing Hospitals Waste Management and Remediation Services 19 7 x x x x x x x x x x x x CNTs Titanium dioxide nanoparticles 15

16 Human and Environmental Risks at production site and from the final product Human Risk Averaged over all industries considered Environmental Risk Averaged over all industries considered CNTs Carbon black Zinc oxide NPs* Titanium dioxide NPs Silver NPs Amorphous silica NPs Zinc oxide NPs Silver NPs Titanium dioxide NPs CNTs Carbon black Amorphous silica NPs W C Ep Ec *NPs: Nanoparticles 16

17 General Findings NMs are very diverse there are no simple answers Transition of NMs is fast risk assessment and labeling (still) not obligatory Traditional toxicological methods have to be extended (small particle sizes bring novel features AND risks) Long-term and direct effects of NMs have not be sufficiently studied No acute toxicity in humans has been observed so far (doses used in animal studies are rather unrealistic) Complete evaluation of all the risks is almost impossible: Production processes information limited (often patented, workers protection level unknown etc.) Scientific support incomplete (human and environmental hazards) Products that contain nano are difficult to track (same products - various names; nano labeling: advertising or requirement; no unique products inventory etc.) NMs are difficult to assess keep tracking is the only way! 17

18 Thank you Zurich Risk Engineering / Commercial Insurance 18

19 The information contained in this document is intended as a general description of certain types of services and insurance covers available to qualified customers. Zurich Insurance Company Ltd or any of its subsidiaries and its employees do not assume any liability of any kind whatsoever, resulting from the use, or reliance upon any of the information contained herein. It does not replace or complement your individual insurance policy, which is the only source for terms and conditions of your respective insurance cover. This is intended as a general description of certain types of services and insurance covers available to qualified customers through subsidiaries within the Zurich Insurance Group Ltd. including, in the United States, Zurich American Insurance Company, 1299 Zurich Way, Schaumburg, Illinois 60196, and, in Canada, Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, 100 King Street West, Toronto ON M5X 1C9, and, outside the US and Canada, Zurich Insurance Plc, Ballsbridge Park, Dublin 4, Ireland (and its EU branches), Zurich Insurance Company Ltd, Mythenquai 2, 8002 Zurich, Zurich Australian Insurance Limited, 5 Blue St., North Sydney, NSW 2060 and further entities, as required by local jurisdiction. 19