The DaNa4.0 project, funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF, project code 03XP0282C) ran from 1 March 2020 to 28 February 2023 and was extended to 30 November 2023. Its aim was to build a comprehensive knowledge base on the environmental fate, ecotoxicity, and sustainability of new and innovative materials. The Helmholtz‑Zentrum für Umweltforschung (UFZ) contributed the environmental toxicology expertise, while the Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT) handled the website development and content management. DECHEMA, the NanoCase consortium, and several battery‑cluster partners supplied data and peer review for cross‑cutting topics. The project produced a total of 30 material‑specific texts, 10 frequently asked questions (FAQs), a glossary, and a sustainability category that together cover more than 40 distinct materials, including kaolin, bentonite, manganese oxide, perovskite, titanium dioxide, cobalt, nickel, and lithium. Each text was written in both German and English, reviewed by experts, and published on the new website https://dana.ggiants.de/, which now receives roughly 2 000 visitors per month. The migration of the original site, the implementation of a WordPress content‑management system, and the training of editors enabled UFZ staff to contribute directly to the platform, ensuring that the information remains up‑to‑date and user‑friendly.

Scientific results include the systematic analysis of 116 posters presented at the NanoTox 2021 conference, which identified the most frequently discussed materials and guided the prioritisation of content. The project also produced a book chapter (2023) on sustainable design and manufacturing and a peer‑reviewed journal article on polystyrene nanoplastic hazard evaluation, both of which are now cited in the field. Cross‑cutting workshops were held in Frankfurt and online, bringing together 50 participants from academia, industry, and regulatory bodies. These workshops focused on battery‑material safety, the sustainability of batteries, tire‑wear impacts on humans and the environment, and safety in 3D printing. The resulting white papers and FAQs were co‑authored with partners from the battery‑cluster, ensuring that the information reflects current regulatory and technical standards.

The project’s sustainability theme was expanded through a dedicated category that includes a glossary, FAQs, and a “training text” for battery sustainability. The battery‑cluster partners reviewed and refined these materials, and the resulting content is now part of the planned follow‑up project MANTRA, which will further develop data on innovative materials for sustainability and transfer. In addition, the DaNa4.0 consortium secured third‑party funding for related Horizon 2020 projects (NanoRigo, PlasticsFatE) and a national research plan (FaPlaN) that will investigate the ecotoxicological effects of novel fiber‑ and plate‑shaped materials. The knowledge base created by DaNa4.0 will be reused and expanded in MANTRA, ensuring that the insights on safety and sustainability of emerging materials continue to inform policy, industry practice, and scientific research.