Governing Nanotechnology Safety

Examining one of the fastest growing industries in the world, Ronit Justo-Hanani compares the distinctly different approaches between both sides of the Atlantic when regulating the health, safety and environmental risks of nanotechnology and its novel properties. Looking at ongoing adjustments to existing laws, Justo-Hanani details how and why, in contrast to the United States, the European Union has adopted a far more stringent, comprehensive regulatory policy for nanotechnology safety. This illuminating book shows that despite the US' prominence in global nanotechnology markets, the strict rules of the EU have been at the forefront of market regulations across the globe. With a full and comparative account of the politics and regulatory processes of nanotechnology safety in the EU and US, it ultimately argues that the EU's adaptive and proactive, capacity-building strategy, is the key to strengthening its role as a global regulatory leader. This timely book will be useful to students and scholars of regulation and governance; science, technology, and innovation policy; environmental and health policy; and international law and politics. Its practical applications will also be of interest to policymakers concerned with the advancements of nanotechnology.

This book aims to address how nanotechnology risks are being addressed by scientists, particularly in the areas of human health and the environment and how these risks can be measured in financial terms for insurers and regulators. It provides a comprehensive overview of nanotechnology risk measurement and risk transfer methods, including a chapter outlining how Bayesian methods can be used. It also examines nanotechnology from a legal perspective, both current and potential future outcomes. The global market for nanotechnology products was valued at $22.9 billion in 2013 and increased to about $26 billion in 2014. This market is expected to reach about $64.2 billion by 2019, a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 19.8% from 2014 to 2019. Despite the increasing value of nanotechnologies and their widespread use, there is a significant gap between the enthusiasm of scientists and nanotechnology entrepreneurs working in the nanotechnology space and the insurance/regulatory sector. Scientists are scarcely aware that insurers/regulators have concerns about the potential for human and environmental risk and insurers/regulators are not in a position to access the potential risk. This book aims to bridge this gap by defining the current challenges in nanotechnology across disciplines and providing a number of risk management and assessment methodologies. Featuring contributions from authors in areas such as regulation, law, ethics, management, insurance and manufacturing, this volume provides an interdisciplinary perspective that is of value to students, academics, researchers, policy makers, practitioners and society in general.

Food which nanotechnology has impacted or to which nanotechnology is applied is referred to as nanofood. From treatment of the soil in which a crop plant is grown to the caring of a food, nanotechnology is a growing factor in the food supply. At this point, however, there is no definitive, effective global method for regulating the use of nanotechnology as it relates to the food suply. Legislation on nanotechnologies is still evolving, as is understanding what data is needed for effective, efficient and appropriate risk assessment associated with nanotechnology impacted foods. Due to the emerging nature of nanotechnology and its role in the food supply, case-by-case studies are the current norm, but the need for wide-scale testing and broad-based regulatory standards is urgent. This project is based on an EFFoST study designed to provide a comparative study of nanofood regulations in order to guide regulation development in this rapidly expanding market. Provides comparative study of nanofood regulations in order to guide regulation development in this rapidly expanding market Includes both case-by-case examples and more broad-based insights Provides models for regulation specifically for regulating nanotechnology as applied to food

Nanotechnology is a new and emerging discipline that is multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary. The usage of nanosystems, nanomaterials, nano-devices, etc. permeates all aspects of society. Cancer targeting and curing nanosystems are being introduced into the biomedical and pharmaceutical industries; so are lightweight energy absorbing or blast-proof nanohybrid material in the aerospace, automotive and marine industries and high-efficiency energy harvesting nanomaterials, etc. Society has a vested interest in knowing how these new materials, devices and systems are changing the economy and similar landscapes. The book outlines the regulatory and environmental issues related to nanotechnology per industry, offers guidelines in assessing the risks and discusses the legal and socioeconomical issues involved. Case studies will be utilized to provide examples of the positive and negative impacts of nanotechnology. Provides an overview and the basis for understanding the critical importance of the reactivity and efficacy of nanomaterials and the emerging role of nanotechnology in society Explains the fundamentals, ethics, regulatory and environmental issues of nanosafety and how they shape the emerging nanotechnology industry and markets and includes extensive lists of glossary terms, terminologies and concepts needed for Material Data Safety Sheets Discusses the relevance and specificity of nanosafety issues per industry and includes discussions on the "Homeland Security and Infrastructure Industries" of interest to society in general Includes nanotechnology risk assessment and delineates and quantifies the risk assessment process for nanotechnology safety of paramount importance to most industries and systems Outlines the legal and intellectual property ramifications of nanotechnology and its impact on productivity and society

The status of regulation of nanotechnology, as it relates to manufacture and use of inorganic engineered nanoparticles, is reviewed, with discussion of how soft law (or the individual protocols and lobbying of stakeholders) is evolving into hard law in the United States. Several instances of the history of development of hard law in the United Status, specifically EPA-based significant new use rules (SNUR) for several nanoparticles is described, including carbon nanotubes and siloxane-modified silica and alumina. A global perspective of the actions of stakeholders is also reviewed. Selected literature citations are tabulated to aid the interested reader in self-informing on the risks and potential for toxicity of certain nanoparticles as each laboratory and industrial concern in the readership takes steps to assess risk for, prevent, prepare for, and respond to the potential for unintended exposures.

Despite the increase in funding for research and the rising numbers of peer-reviewed publications over the past decade that address the environmental, health, and safety aspects of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), uncertainty about the implications of potential exposures of consumers, workers, and ecosystems to these materials persists. Consumers and workers want to know which of these materials they are exposed to and whether the materials can harm them. Industry is concerned about being able to predict with sufficient certainty whether products that it makes and markets will pose any environmental, health or safety issues and what measures should be taken regarding manufacturing practices and worldwide distribution to minimize any potential risk. However, there remains a disconnect between the research that is being carried out and its relevance to and use by decision-makers and regulators to make informed public health and environmental policy and regulatory decisions. Research Progress on Environmental, Health, and Safety Aspects of Nanomaterials evaluates research progress and updates research priorities and resource estimates on the basis of results of studies and emerging trends in the nanotechnology industry. This report follows up the 2012 report A Research Strategy for Environmental, Health, and Safety Aspects of Engineered Nanomaterials, which presented a strategic approach for developing the science and research infrastructure needed to address uncertainties regarding the potential environmental, health, and safety risks posed by ENMs. This new report looks at the state of nanotechnology research, examines market and regulatory conditions and their affect on research priorities, and considers the criteria for evaluating research progress on the environmental, health, and safety aspects of nanotechnology.

Examining one of the fastest growing industries in the world, Ronit Justo-Hanani compares the distinctly different approaches between both sides of the Atlantic when regulating the health, safety and environmental risks of nanotechnology and its novel properties.

To ensure industry competence in protecting the safety of workers creating engineered nanomaterials (ENMs), there must be a certification process that describes the necessary skill sets to ensure worker safety. Several federal government agencies on the national and international stage are working toward developing safety standards for workers who create EMNs. A process must be implemented to obtain validity of the certification exam and address how the exam will be given. A governing body must verify that the exam will meet certification requirements as well as which information is acquired by federal agencies. In the United States over the next few years, the majority of the workers will be of the Generation Y population. How well Generation Y workers absorb and retain information will dictate the instructional format of the certification exam. Outside-the-box instructional approaches, such as Second Life, can assist in developing the instruction format that is needed. As new ENMs are developed, it is critical to further promote the establishment of standards and certifications, which will protect human safety, prevent lawsuits, and avoid a negative public perception of nanotechnology.