Nanotechnology Project

Topics

Regulatory Issues

  • publications/archive April 9, 2008 PEN 11 - Room at the Bottom? State and local governments often have adopted trailblazing initiatives to address environmental, health and safety concerns in advance or in lieu of federal action. With nanotechnology, an emerging field of science with unknown risks, this practice is continuing, a landmark study has found.
  • news/archive April 9, 2008 Slow Federal Action to Oversee Nanotechnology Leaves ‘Room At The Bottom’ State and local governments often have adopted trailblazing initiatives to address environmental, health and safety concerns in advance or in lieu of federal action. With nanotechnology, an emerging field of science with unknown risks, this practice is continuing, a landmark study has found.
  • events/archive April 2, 2008 New Nanotechnology Television Series Does “Sweat the Small Stuff” The Project and National Science Foundation will host the Washington, DC, premiere event for the television series “Nanotechnology: The Power of Small”. The series’ three programs explore critical questions about nanotechnology’s potential impact on privacy, the environment and human health and will include remarks by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a co-chair of the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus.
  • news/archive March 7, 2008 EPA Issues Major Enforcement Action on Nano-Pesticide The Environmental Protection Agency has made the decision to fine technology company IOGEAR more than $200,000 for selling unregistered nano-pesticides. At issue are antibacterial claims made by IOGEAR related to its computer peripheral products. All of the products in question are listed in the Project’s inventory of nanotechnology consumer products.
  • publications/archive February 28, 2008 First Annual Conference on Nanotechnology Law, Regulation and Policy Keynote address from Michael R. Taylor at the First Annual Conference on Nanotechnology Law, Regulation and Policy.
  • publications/archive February 26, 2008 Application of the Toxics Release Inventory to Nanomaterials This research brief examines whether the legal authorities that establish the Toxics Release Inventory (TRI) in the Emergency Planning and Community-Right to-Know Act (EPCRA) could be applied to nanomaterials. Although several organizations have published analyses of whether specific environmental laws could be used to regulate nanomaterials, none of these reviews has examined EPCRA or TRI in any detail.
  • news/archive February 26, 2008 Federal Toxics Disclosure Law Could Help Inform Public Of Nanotechnology Risks The Project has released a first-time legal analysis that finds a key federal toxics reporting statute could be applied to production and commercialization of nanotechnology, providing the public with more information about these revolutionary – yet still potentially risky – technologies.
  • publications/archive February 19, 2008 Applying the Chemical Policy Options to Emerging Technologies and Materials: Adaptations and Challenges Can the template developed in this report for chemicals policy reform be applied in assessing the hazards of emerging technologies and what considerations are involved for state governments?
  • news/archive February 19, 2008 Federal Nanotech Risk Research Plan Still Comes Up Short An improved but still flawed government-wide plan for nanotechnology risk research is the result of a broken system. Federally-funded studies essential to managing possible risks from this cutting-edge technology should be guided by a top-down strategy tied to projected commercialization, expected human and environmental exposures, and the regulatory decision-making process.
  • news/archive February 11, 2008 Know Your Nano? Free iPods To Those With High “Nano IQ”! Five free iPod Nanos are up for grabs! To celebrate the launch of our redesigned website, the Project is sponsoring a “Nano-IQ” contest. Winners will be randomly selected from those who successfully complete the five-question quiz. - UPDATE: Winners Announced!
  • news/archive February 6, 2008 European Commission Gives Grant To Investigate Transatlantic Oversight Of Nanotechnology Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Chatham House, Environmental Law Institute and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, have been awarded a $587,000 European Commission grant to conduct an international research project on regulating nanotechnologies in the European Union and United States
  • news/archive January 28, 2008 EPA Takes First Step In Filling Nanotech Information Gaps The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency published today in the Federal Register its plan for the Nanoscale Materials Stewardship Program under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA). The plan takes a positive first step by offering industry, non-governmental organizations and other groups the opportunity to voluntarily submit safety data on engineered nanoscale materials.
  • news/archive January 8, 2008 Food and Drug Law Institute(FDLI), Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies Co-Sponsor Major Conference on Nanotechnology Law, Regulation and Policy Nanotechnology was incorporated into more than $50 billion in manufactured goods last year, according to Lux Research. By 2014, the market will grow to $2.6 trillion. Yet, despite this rapid commercialization, no nano-specific regulation exists anywhere in the world. Most regulatory agencies remain in an information-gathering mode—lacking the legal and scientific tools, information and resources they need to adequately oversee expediential nanotechnology market growth.
  • publications/archive January 4, 2008 Looking Back on the First Two Years This report reviews the Project’s major activities, key contributions, and most significant impacts over its first two years.
  • publications/archive December 3, 2007 Feynman, Voltaire and Beckett on Nanotechnology This presentation examines flaws in the assertion by the U.S. government that the existing regulatory system is adequate to address risks from nanotechnologies and explores actions that need to be taken to help foster successful commercialization of nano products.