GVI-EN | January 2008 Newsletter

GVI-EN January 2008 Newsletter: Bush Administration Releases Principles for Nanotechnology Environmental, Health, and Safety Oversight Posted on November 16, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson 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 level. The memorandum says that federal agencies such as the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) “must implement sound policies to protect public health and the environment,” and “agencies that perform nanotechnology research and development or that use nanotechnology in accomplishing their mission must provide appropriate oversight.” House Subcommittee Holds Hearing on Relationship Between Environmental and Health Policy and Nanotechnology Posted on November 6, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On October 31, 2007, the House Committee on Science and Technology’s Research and Science Education Subcommittee held a hearing on the relationship between environmental and health policy and nanotechnology. The Subcommittee examined how the U.S. can stay at the forefront of scientific research and development, while at the same time establishing priorities and a detailed plan for research on the potential environmental and health risks of engineered nanomaterials. The Science and Technology Committee held two previous hearings on this issue -- one in 2005 and another in 2006 -- with the objective of reviewing the importance of risk research for achieving the potential benefits of nanotechnology and the efforts of the interagency National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) to put in place a research strategy. Progress in developing the research strategy has been slow, however. The hearing explored the status of the planning efforts and received suggestions from outside witnesses on ways to improve the process. PEN Hosts a Seminar on Responsible NanoCode Posted on October 12, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars hosted on October 9, 2007, a seminar on the Responsible NanoCode, a voluntary, principles-based Code of Conduct for entities involved in the research, development, manufacture, and retail sale of products using nanotechnologies. The draft Code was developed by a working group organized in late 2006 by The Royal Society, the United Kingdom’s (UK) national academy of science, in conjunction with Insight Investment, the Nanotechnology Industries Association (NIA), and the UK government-sponsored Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network. California Hosts Symposium on Potential Hazards of Nanoparticles in the Environment Posted on October 5, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On October 3, 2007, the California Department for Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) held a symposium on the potential hazards of nanoparticles in the environment. According to DTSC, exploring environmentally safe processes in nanotechnology manufacturing is a component of the California Green Chemistry Initiative. Under the Initiative, a multi-agency state team is exploring a different approach to environmental protection -- transitioning away from managing toxic chemicals at the end of the life-cycle, to reducing or eliminating their use altogether. DTSC states that this new approach is similar to measures adopted by the European Union (EU) and the Canadian government to encourage greater manufacturer responsibility. Reader-Friendly Version of 2006 EC Report Available Posted on August 30, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson The European Commission (EC) Directorate General for Health and Consumer Protection retained GreenFacts to summarize the EC’s 2006 report entitled Modified Opinion (After Public Consultation) on the Appropriateness of Existing Methodologies to Assess the Potential Risks Associated with Engineered and Adventitious Products of Nanotechnologies. According to GreenFacts, the EC’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) wrote its Opinion for a scientific audience. GreenFacts prepared its summary for a broader audience. CDTSC Will Hold Symposium on Potential Hazards of Nanomaterials in the Environment Posted on August 23, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson The California Department of Toxic Substances Control (CDTSC) will hold a symposium entitled “Nanotechnology Symposium II: Potential Hazards of Nanomaterials in the Environment” on October 3, 2007. The draft agenda includes the following topics: • Chemical Properties and Commercial/Industrial Applications of Nanotechnology; • Physico-Chemical Characterization of Nanoparticles and Its Relation to Their Bio-Interactions; • Potential Ecotoxicity of Nanoparticles Released to the Environment; • Nanomaterial Human Health Risks and Risk Assessment; and • One Proactive Approach to Responsible Nanotechnology Development: The DuPont -- Environmental Defense NanoRisk Framework. EHS Research Priorities Released for Comment Posted on August 21, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On August 16, 2007, the National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (NNCO), on behalf of the Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology (NSET) Subcommittee of the Committee on Technology, National Science and Technology Council (NSTC), published a notice in the Federal Register announcing the availability of a document entitled The Prioritization of Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials: An Interim Document for Public Comment, which assigns priority to research needs and areas identified in the NSET Subcommittee document Environmental, Health, and Safety Research Needs for Engineered Nanoscale Materials, which was published on September 21, 2006. The Nanoethics Group Publishes Major Anthology Posted on August 8, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On August 1, 2007, the Nanoethics Group announced the release of a collection of papers entitled Nanoethics: The Ethical and Social Implications of Nanotechnology, which addresses issues related to nanotechnology’s impact on society. The anthology includes papers from nearly 40 experts worldwide and includes topics related to benefits, risk, environment, health, human enhancement, privacy, military, democracy, education, humanitarianism, molecular manufacturing, space exploration, artificial intelligence, life extension, and more. International Coalition Urges Nano-Specific Regulations Posted on August 7, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On July 31, 2007, an international coalition of consumer, public health, environmental, and labor organizations issued the Principles for the Oversight of Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials and called for strong, comprehensive oversight of the new technology and its products. According to the coalition, the manufacture of products using technology has “exploded in recent years,” while “evidence indicates that current nanomaterials may pose significant health, safety, and environmental hazards.” Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists Issues Statement on the Occupational and Environmental Risks of Nanotechnology Posted on July 19, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson The Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists (CSTE) recently issued a position statement on nanotechnology risks. The CSTE statement observes that the “health, safety and environmental effects of nanomaterials are poorly understood,” and that “our limited knowledge of [nanotechnology’s] potential harm is cause for concern.” Among other things, CSTE calls: for increased funding for research on the environmental, health, and safety impacts of nanotechnology; for the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to require content-labeling on products containing nanoparticles that are aerosolized or applied to the skin; and for the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to issue standards for the protection of workers, the public, and the environment against known or suspected harmful effects of nanoparticles. EPA Awards Almost $600,000 to Oregon State University Nanotechnology Researchers Posted on July 6, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On June 22, 2007, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the award of two research grants totaling almost $600,000 to scientists at Oregon State University, who will evaluate whether some engineered nanomaterials adversely affect human health. Under the first research grant, scientists will review a variety of commonly manufactured nanomaterials to determine their potential interactions with biological processes; if the researchers find nanomaterials that produce adverse human health effects, they will seek to identify the potential cellular and genetic targets of those nanomaterials and group the nanomaterials by composition and effects. The second research grant will focus on how engineered nanomaterials can damage or kill cells, and is expected to lead to the development of occupational and environmental exposure guidelines. Final Nano Risk Framework Released Posted on June 28, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On June 21, 2007, Environmental Defense (ED) and DuPont, who commenced a partnership on nanotechnology in September 2005, released the final Nano Risk Framework, which establishes “a systematic and disciplined process for identifying, managing, and reducing potential environmental, health, and safety risks of engineered nanomaterials across all stages of a product’s ‘lifecycle.’” The Framework is aimed primarily at organizations, both private and public, that are actively working with nanomaterials and developing associated products and applications. ED and DuPont believe that “adoption of the Frameworkcan promote responsible development of nanotechnology products, facilitate public acceptance, and support the formulation of a practical model for reasonable government policy on nanotechnology safety.” European Commission's Green Week 2007 Includes Nanotechnologies Posted on June 8, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson The European Commission (EC) will hold its annual Green Week in Brussels, Belgium, from June 12-15, 2007. On June 14, 2007, an afternoon session will examine the benefits of nanotechnology for the environment and on how nanotechnologies could help to solve major environmental problems, e.g., climate change, energy efficiency, resources use, remediation and pollution prevention, opportunities for developing countries, as well as the potential risks for environment and health. UK Releases Report on Environmentally Beneficial Nanotechnologies Posted on May 25, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On May 17, 2005, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) released a report entitled Environmentally Beneficial Nanotechnologies: Barriers and Opportunities, which provides the results of a study exploring ways in which nanotechnology could reduce the use of non-renewable energy sources and greenhouse gas emissions. The study investigated the opportunities and potential obstacles to adoption of a number of environmentally beneficial nanotechnologies. The resulting report explores the application of nanoscience in the areas of insulation, photovoltaics, electricity storage, engine efficiency, and the hydrogen economy. NRDC Report Claims U.S. Has Failed to Protect Citizens from Nanomaterials Posted on May 24, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On May 15, 2007, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) issued a report entitled Nanotechnology’s Invisible Threat: Small Science, Big Consequences, which claims that the U.S. government has failed “to use its authority to protect citizens from the potentially dangerous effects of nano-scale chemistry.” Researchers Review Environmental and Human Health Knowledge Base of Carbon Nanotubes Posted on May 16, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On May 10, 2007, EHP-in-Press posted an article entitled “Reviewing the Environmental and Human Health Knowledge Base of Carbon Nanotubes.” The authors reviewed the currently available literature about the human health and environmental risk potential of carbon nanotubes (CNT). The authors also investigated the life cycle of the CNT, as release into different environmental compartments may occur at the production stages as well as the product’s usage and disposal stages, which may indirectly or directly cause human exposure. Because, according to the authors, the published literature revealed many open questions, they also systematically interviewed seven leading scientists worldwide and integrated their contemporary knowledge in the review. The authors interviewed scientists who were key authors or project leaders, having investigated and reported the potential impacts of CNT on human health or environment. Through this combined approach, the authors present an updated and contemporary knowledge base for scientific discussion. European Commission Seeks Comment on Nanomaterials Risk Evaluation Report Posted on April 25, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On April 11, 2007, the European Commission (EC) announced that the report prepared by the Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) regarding the appropriateness of the risk assessment methodology for assessing the risks of nanomaterials is available for comment. Comments are due May 23, 2007. EC states that the report “provides the Commission with a sound scientific approach on how to modify the Technical Guidance Documents of the EU chemicals legislation in regard to nanomaterials. The report provides proposals for general and specific modifications of risk assessment of human health and the environment, describes a staged strategy for the risk assessment of nanomaterials and identifies areas of further research.” ICON Launches Nanotechnology Journal Posted on April 17, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) and Rice University’s Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) announced on March 22, 2007, they have launched a monthly online journal that contains citations and links to articles on the environment and health impacts of nanotechnology. The ICON and CBEN coalition launched the first online database of nanomaterial scientific findings in August 2005, but the new journal -- The Virtual Journal of Nanotechnology Environment, Health & Safety (VJ-Nano EHS) -- “has taken the concept one step further,” the coalition said. The virtual journal organizes the information contained in the existing database into a reader-friendly monthly journal format. New features include a rotating guest editorship and a series of papers on topics of interest taken from the database. Contents of the journal are searchable. In the future, the coalition said, the journal will include a section on the most cited nanotechnology environment, health, and safety papers. PEN Releases LCA Report Posted on March 22, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson On March 20, 2007, the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) released a report entitled Nanotechnology and Life Cycle Assessment: A Systems Approach to Nanotechnology and the Environment, which summarizes the results of the October 2-3, 2006, workshop organized by PEN and the European Commission on life cycle assessment (LCA). LCA is a cradle-to-grave analysis of how a material affects ecosystems and human health. According to the report, the purpose of the October 2-3, 2006, workshop was to determine whether existing LCA tools and methods are adequate to use on a new technology. The report provides an overview of LCA and nanotechnology, discusses the current state of the art, identifies current knowledge gaps that may prevent the proper application of LCA in this field, and offers recommendations on the application of LCA for assessing the potential environmental impacts of nanotechnology, nanomaterials, and nanoproducts. Senate Requests GAO Review of NNI Posted on March 22, 2007 by Lynn L. Bergeson In a March 15, 2007, letter, the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation and the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus requested that the Government Accountability Office (GAO) review the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI), which was created to accelerate the discovery, development, and deployment of nanoscale science and technology. For fiscal year 2006, NNI received $1.2 billion in research and development funding, and 22 federal agencies, including the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), participate in NNI. According to the letter, one key expectation for NNI was “to ensure that adequate attention and research funding was made available to gain a better understanding of the potential environmental, health, and safety (EHS) risks associated with nanomaterials.” The letter states that the Committee and Caucus “are extremely concerned that this has not happened and that there is a lack of transparency with regard to how much federal attention and funding this important aspect of the initiative is receiving.”