Friends of the Earth Australia Calls for an Immediate Moratorium on the Use of Carbon Nanotubes

Posted on September 5, 2008 by Lynn L. Bergeson

In its latest Background Paper, entitled Mounting Evidence That Carbon Nanotubes May Be the New Asbestos, Friends of the Earth Australia (FOEA) is calling “for an immediate moratorium on the commercial use of carbon nanotubes and the sale of products that incorporate nanotubes until research can demonstrate whether or not there is any safe level of exposure to them.”   FOEA also is calling for new nanotechnology-specific regulation to protect human health and the environment, as well as for mandatory labeling of all nanoscale materials used in the workplace and in consumer products.

FOEA’s paper summarizes various studies that have been conducted on carbon nanotubes and contends that these studies suggest “strongly that some forms of nanotubes could pose similar health risks to asbestos and that a wide range of nanotubes cause both localised and system toxic effects.” FOEA argues that suitable detection technologies to measure occupational exposure levels to nanotubes do not exist, and it decries the fact that material safety data sheets for carbon nanotubes “remain based on synthetic graphite.”
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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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