NSF-Funded Television Series to Air in April 2008

Posted on March 28, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
“Nanotechnology: The Power of Small,” the first major television series to examine the implications of advances in nanotechnology, will begin airing on local public broadcasting stations in April 2008. The series is funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF) and the presenting station and grantee for the series is Oregon Public Broadcasting. In the episodes, award-winning National Public Radio correspondent John Hockenberry asks policymakers, scientists, journalists, and community leaders questions concerning nanotechnology’s potential to impact people’s privacy and security, health, and environment. Featured experts include Harvard University researcher George M. Whitesides, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) chief scientist Andrew Maynard, and author Joel Garreau, among others. Continue Reading...
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CNSI Will Hold Legislative Summit on Nanotechnology

Posted on March 26, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On April 25, 2008, the California Nanosystems Institute (CNSI) will hold a conference entitled “The Future of Nanotechnology: A Legislative Summit.” The conference sponsors include California Assembly Member Mike Feuer (AD 42-D), Office of the Vice Chancellor for Research (OVCR), State Government Relations (SGR), and CNSI. Panelists include Lenny Rome, Ph.D.; Andre Nel, Ph.D., MD; John Froines, Ph.D.; Hilary Godwin, Ph.D.; Tim Malloy, JD; and Jeffrey Wong. CNSI describes the conference as “the first step for stakeholders from industry, government, research institutes and environmental groups to discuss responsible ways to regulate nanotechnology without stifling progress.”
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DuPont and ED Will Hold Nano Risk Management Training Workshops

Posted on March 24, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson

DuPont and Environmental Defense (ED) will hold two interactive workshops on nano risk management. The workshops are intended to give participants the tools they need to:

  • Understand (and explain to others) why nano-specific risk management is necessary;
  • Assemble and leverage the internal and external resources to implement nano-specific risk management; and
  • Begin implementing nano-specific risk management in an efficient and effective manner.

The workshops will include:

  • Interactive discussions of how to implement nano-specific risk management;
  • Case studies of nano-specific risk management in use by companies and governments; and
  • Sources of additional help for companies adopting these approaches.

The first workshop will be held April 2, 2008, at the Sustainable Packaging Coalition in San Francisco, California. A second workshop will be held April 8, 2008, at the Toxics Use Reduction Institute in Boston, Massachusetts.

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DEFRA Releases Updated VRS Guidance

Posted on March 19, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On March 12, 2008, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) released a supplementary guidance document for the Voluntary Reporting Scheme (VRS). DEFRA prepared the supplementary guidance document to complement the existing VRS guidance. Chapter 2 describes the rationale and benefits of the VRS. Chapter 3 provides a specific list of the relevant physical, chemical, toxicological, and ecotoxicological data to include when reporting under the VRS, and the relevant hazard, exposure, and risk context for the information requested.  Chapter 4 sets out a context and summary for nanomaterial hazard and risk to human health and the environment. DEFRA intends the VRS to develop a better understanding of the properties and characteristics of different engineered nanoscale materials, so enabling potential hazard, exposure, and risk to be considered.  According to DEFRA, “[b]uilding an evidence-base in this way will allow for a more informed debate about the nature of appropriate controls.”
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PTO Will Hold Nanotechnology Customer Partnership Meeting in April 2008

Posted on March 18, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) will hold a Nanotechnology Customer Partnership meeting on April 22, 2008. According to PTO, it intends the Partnership to provide a forum to share ideas, experiences, and insights between individual users and PTO. PTO states that it does not intend to use the Partnership to arrive at a group consensus.  Individual opinions are sought from varying participants, and the meetings are intended to be informal in nature.  Due to space limitations, PTO asks attendees to RSVP by e-mail or telephone to Jill Warden at (571) 272-1267 to confirm attendance.  If it becomes necessary to restrict the number of attendees, PTO will do so on a first come, first served basis.
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FOE Releases Report on Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture

Posted on March 17, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
A recent report released by Friends of the Earth (FOE) calls for a moratorium “on the further commercial release of food products, food packaging, food contact materials and agrochemicals that contain manufactured nanomaterials until nanotechnology-specific safety laws are established and the public is involved in decision making.” The report, entitled Out of the Laboratory and on to Our Plates:  Nanotechnology in Food & Agriculture, lists 104 commercially available foods, nutritional supplements, food contact materials, and agricultural chemicals identified by FOE that contain manufactured nanomaterials.  According to FOE, due to the “reluctance of food manufacturers to discuss their use of nanotechnology,” this list likely “represents only a small fraction of commercially available products that contain nanomaterials.” FOE states that many more nanofood products are in development, and many of the world’s largest food companies are exploring nanotechnology for food processing and packaging.  Many of the world’s largest agrochemicals and seed companies also have active nanotechnology research and development programs. FOE claims that regulations in the U.S., Europe, and Australia fail to address nanomaterials and calls for nano-specific food regulation to ensure food safety.
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EC Will Hold Workshop on Research on the Safety of Nanomaterials

Posted on March 14, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson

On April 17-18, 2008, the European Commission (EC) will hold a workshop on research on the safety of nanomaterials. The main objectives of the workshop are:

  • To increase interactions between researchers to enhance networking, sharing of outcomes of the research projects, and boosting synergies between research groups across Europe and abroad;
  • To improve communication of the results of research to risk assessment bodies and other interested parties, providing sound science-based data for informing opinions and scientific advice to policy makers; and
  • To examine the current knowledge to review, if need be, the priorities in safety of nanomaterials’ research.
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NIOSH Seeks Comment on Strategic Plan for Nanotechnology Research

Posted on March 11, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
Last week the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) requested comments on its Strategic Plan for NIOSH Nanotechnology Research and Guidance:  Filling the Knowledge Gaps (Strategic Plan).  NIOSH intends the Strategic Plan “to provide a tool for coordinating nanotechnology research across the Institute and to provide a guide for enhancing the development of new research efforts that will respond to the challenges of working with a new technology.” According to NIOSH, the Strategic Plan “represents a cohesive, multidimensional, and timely research agenda for addressing knowledge gaps concerning possible worker exposures to nanomaterials, the health risks from such exposure, and development of control technology and prevention measures.” Comments are due June 1, 2008. Continue Reading...
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EPA Will Hold Meeting on Industry-Government Partnerships

Posted on March 10, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On February 29, 2008, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a March 17-18, 2008, public meeting “to discuss opportunities for industry-government partnerships to foster greater public awareness of the environmental attributes of household and institutional consumer products and help make consumers aware of efforts on the part of consumer product manufacturers to improve the environmental performance of their products and production facilities.” According to EPA, the primary purpose of the initial meeting, which has received little notice to date, is “to establish a dialog among government, industry, and public stakeholders leading to formation of a Consumer Products Environmental Partnerships Working Group.” EPA states that, once formed, the Working Group will identify and develop possible partnership approaches such as product labeling, consumer education programs, environmental information websites, product stewardship programs, and manufacturer recognition programs. It describes the increased use of nanomaterials in consumer products as “an emerging issue.” To attend the meeting, which will be held in Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, EPA asks for the submission of name and affiliation by e-mail or telephone to Mr. Bruce Moore, EPA, Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, at (919) 541-5460 no later than March 13, 2008.
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SCCP Releases Opinion on Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products

Posted on March 5, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
The European Commission’s (EC) Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) released on March 3, 2008, a document entitled Opinion on Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products (Opinion). In its Opinion, the SCCP divides nanoparticles into two groups: 1) soluble and/or biodegradable nanoparticles; and 2) insoluble particles. The SCCP states that, for the soluble and/or biodegradable group, “conventional risk assessment methodologies based on mass metrics may be adequate, whereas for the insoluble particles other metrics, such as the number of particles, and their surface area as well as their distribution are also required.” According to the SCCP, when assessing possible risks associated with nanoparticles, it is crucial to consider their uptake, and that it is primarily for the insoluble particles that health concerns related to possible uptake may arise. The SCCP concludes that, at present, there is inadequate information on: hazard identification; exposure assessment; uptake; the role of physico-chemical parameters of nanoparticles determining absorption and transport across membranes in the gut and lungs; the role of physico-chemical parameters of nanoparticles in systemic circulation determining biokinetics and accumulation in secondary target organs; possible health effects; and translocation of nanoparticles via the placenta to the fetus. The Opinion states that review of the safety of the insoluble nanomaterials presently used in sunscreens is required.
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NIOSH Publishes "Safe Nanotechnology in the Workplace"

Posted on March 3, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson
On February 29, 2008, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of a brochure entitled “Safe Nanotechnology in the Workplace: An Introduction for Employers, Managers, and Safety and Health Professionals.” The brochure addresses the following questions: whether nanoparticles are hazardous to workers; how workers can be exposed; whether nanoparticles can be measured; and whether worker exposures can be controlled. The brochure states that little information is available about the hazards of nanoparticles in the workplace, and that NIOSH is conducting research to determine whether they pose a health threat to exposed workers. According to the brochure, workers may be exposed by three routes: inhalation (the most common); ingestion; and skin. Traditional industrial hygiene sampling methods can be used to measure airborne nanoparticles, and scientists are developing more sensitive and specific sampling techniques. The brochure states that worker exposures can be controlled with engineering controls, respirators, and training.
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