July 21, 2009

PEN Announces Report on Contaminated Site Remediation

On July 8, 2009, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) announced the availability of an article entitled Nanotechnology and In situ Remediation: A review of the benefits and potential risks, which discusses the use of nanomaterials in the environmental cleanup process. According to the article, nanomaterials have the potential to reduce the costs and time of cleaning up contaminated sites, as well as eliminate the need for treatment...
July 9, 2009

IEHN Examines Regulatory Loopholes

On June 16, 2009, the Investor Environmental Health Network (IEHN) released a report entitled Bridging the Credibility Gap:  Eight Corporate Liability Accounting Loopholes that Regulators Must Close, which discusses the effect of undisclosed potential and pending liabilities on investors. The report identifies eight regulatory loopholes that businesses could use to hide future liabilities from an investor’s risk assessment. Two case studies for asbestos and nanomaterials...
July 8, 2009

Norway Asks Businesses to Report Presence of Nanomaterials

On June 25, 2009, the Norwegian Board of Technology announced that the Norwegian Pollution Control Authority (SFT) has established “a scheme for Norwegian businesses to report their use of nanomaterials in chemical products.”  According to a spokesperson for the Board, until now the Norwegian market has “lacked oversight of nanomaterials.”  Under the scheme, information about nanomaterials in chemical products will be incorporated as a separate topic in declarations to the...
July 1, 2009

Lynn L. Bergeson, “New on the Horizon: Nanotechnology,” The John Liner Review, Summer 2009.

Managing any business is tough. Managing a nanotechnology (nanotech) business is tougher than most. This article briefly discusses this new and rapidly expanding field of applied science, outlines key risk management issues that companies engaged in the manufacture of nanoscale materials and nanotechnology-enabled products confront, and reviews existing and proposed governance and risk management mechanisms intended to address potential nanotechnology risks.
July 1, 2009

Lynn L. Bergeson, “2009 and Beyond: Outlook for Environmental Issues,” Environmental Quality Management, Summer 2009.

With a new Congress in town and a new administration in charge of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA), 2009 promises to be an exciting and eventful year. This “Washington Watch” column provides a summary outlook on possible directional trends and developments in the regulation of key environmental issues over the coming months and years.
July 1, 2009

Lynn L. Bergeson, “Safety Comes First for Nanotechnology,” Chemical Processing, July 2009.

Earlier this year, the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON), Houston, launched the GoodNanoGuide, which is available online. To cater to all audiences, the guide provides basic, intermediate and advanced options to choose from to contribute to or search within the online forum. This innovative approach sets a new standard for creative, interactive, Internet-based product stewardship tools. This column explains why you may want to take a look at the GoodNanoGuide and consider the...
June 29, 2009

EU-OSHA Publishes Literature Review Of Workplace Exposure

The European Agency for Safety and Health at Work (EU-OSHA) announced June 19, 2009, the publication of the Literature Review — Workplace Exposure to Nanoparticles, which reviews the most recent publications on nanoparticles and focuses on the possible adverse health effects of workplace exposure. The report focuses on the possible adverse health effects of workplace exposure to engineered nanomaterials and possible subsequent activities taken to manage the risk. The report does...
June 29, 2009

Lynn L. Bergeson, Lisa M. Campbell, and Lisa R. Burchi, “Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program: Data Sharing, Compensation, Protection,” BNA Daily Environment Report, June 29, 2009.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issued three important Federal Register notices April 15, 2009, laying the foundation for the Endocrine Disruptor Screening Program (EDSP), EPA’s next major data development initiative. This article focuses on those aspects of EPA’sFederal Register notices concerning how EPA will address joint data development, cost sharing, data compensation, and data protection under the EDSP (EDSP Policy Notice)