All Knowledge & Insights By Date

On December 19, 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) published an update entitled “NIOSH Informs, Leads Nanotechnology Actions by International Partner Organizations.” In the Update, NIOSH summarizes its recent contributions to international research: On November 29, 2007, the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development’s (OECD) Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials agreed to establish a NIOSH-led project to: (1)...

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) December 10, 2007, Unified Agenda includes a notice regarding the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program (NMSP), which is a voluntary program that EPA established to assemble existing data and information from manufacturers and processors of certain nanoscale materials. The notice states that, under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), EPA has the authority to require the development of data necessary for risk assessment when...

The Food and Drug Law Institute (FDLI) and the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) will hold a conference on February 28-29, 2008, on “Nanotechnology Law, Regulation and Policy.” Questions addressed during the conference will include: How is the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) going to implement its Nanotechnology Task Force Report? How is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) going to deal with nanotech...

On December 12, 2007, the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) announced the availability of the draft Current Intelligence Bulletin (CIB) entitled “Interim Guidance on Medical Screening of Workers Potentially Exposed to Engineered Nanoparticles.” NIOSH will hold a public meeting on the draft CIB on January 30, 2008. The meeting will include scientists and representatives from various government agencies, industry, labor, and other...

In a recent speech at the 9th Annual Food Regulation and Labeling Standards Conference, Steve McCutcheon, CEO of Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ), said that FSANZ has begun analyzing the potential implications of nanotechnology on the food supply chain. FSANZ hopes that, by the time it receives its first application to approve the use of the technology in food, it will already have sufficient scientific and medical information to make an informed decision.

On November 19, 2007, Environmental Defense (ED) issued a press release that states that the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) is not effectively addressing the potential risks of nanotechnology, and that a potential model for resolving the conflict between NNI’s dual charges to both promote and oversee the technology could be drawn from the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC). Like the NNI, the AEC, first established in 1946, was tasked with both encouraging the development...

On November 19, 2007, the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus held a briefing on “Nanotechnology and Environment, Health & Safety Issues.” The panel of speakers included Vicki Colvin, Ph.D., Professor of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology, Rice University; Andrew Maynard, Ph.D., Chief Science Advisor, Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars; and Pat Casano, Counsel for...

The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) met the week of November 19, 2007, to begin reviewing the regulation and risk assessment of nanotechnology. The European Commission (EC) issued a mandate for a complete evaluation by March 31, 2008, but EFSA responded that, because of the range of differing properties and safety profiles, it will not be able to complete its review by this deadline. EFSA instead proposed to issue an initial scientific opinion by Summer 2008. EFSA...

On November 8, 2007, the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) and the Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ) issued a memorandum regarding “Principles for Nanotechnology Environmental, Health, and Safety Oversight.” According to the memorandum, OSTP and CEQ “led a multi-agency consensus-based process” to develop principles intended to guide the development and implementation of policies for nanotechnology environmental, health, and safety oversight at the agency...

On October 25-26, 2007, the European Commission (EC) held the First Annual Nanotechnology Safety for Success Dialogue. Presentations included: Food applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies — Ms. Sue O’Hagan, Confederation of the Food and Drink Industries of the European Union (CIAA); Consumer products applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies — Dr. Michael Holman, Lux Research; Health applications of nanoscience and nanotechnologies — Dr. Carole...