Nanotechnology Lawyer & Attorney : Porter Wright Morris & Arthur : Nanotechnology Law Report - Germanium nanobead image provided by UT-Battelle, which manages Oak Ridge National Laboratory for the Department of Energy

New Edition of Nanotechnology Law Report

Inside you will find:

• EPA Considering New Approach to Nanoscale Materials Under TSCA
• EPA May Issue Mandatory Data Collection Rule for Nanoscale Materials Under TSCA
• EPA Takes Aim at Antimicrobial Products Under FIFRA
• EPA Unveils New Principles for Chemical Management Reform
• EPA Report on the Use of Nanoscale TiO2 in Water and Sunscreens
• EPA Withdraws Carbon Nanotube SNURs
• Press Release: New Contributing Editor for InterNano
• Virginia CLE presentation: “Insurance, Nanotechnology, and Risk”
• Nanoparticles and Deaths in the People’s Republic
• Sweating the Small Stuff
• Soil Association Cites China Deaths in Renewed Call for Moratorium on Nanotechnology Commercialization
• Nanotechnology Legislation in the 111th Congress
• Mapping Nano
• Flight of the Nanobees

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The National Nanomanufacuring Network (NNN) at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst just published its October newsletter which you can find here.  There is a nice article by Barbara Beck and Chris Long from Gradient regarding the recent Song nanoparticle study from China which was my first contributing editor piece for NNN's InterNano.  Please read the newsletter and follow NNN's valuable work.

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Sara Goodman's article "Researchers Look to Make 'Messy' Nanotech Production 'Clean and Green'" takes a look at the work of Dr. James Hutchison of the University of Oregon and others at the Safer Nanomaterials and Nanomanufacturing Initiative to find "greener methods and techniques to manufacture nanomaterials and reduce or eliminate the waste streams that are the result of what David Rejeski of the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies refers to as "the brown production infrastructure".

Along with that goal is hope of making nanoproduction methods more efficent and economical, thus saving manufacturers a different form of green or whatever colours the pound, ruble, franc, etc happen to be.

As the article points out, no one is sure how nanomaterials will interact with the larger environment outside the manufacturing facility, whether they will break down with no harm or act like a version of plastics and similar materials that last for long periods of time and leave lasting damage in their wake.

Nanomanufacturing is still very much in its infancy at this time and is still flexible enough that it can look at adopting greener methods, particularly if those methods can reduce expenses. One can only hope that the industry seizes what may be a fleeting opportunity to make changes that will benefit everyone.

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The European Trade Union Confederation adopted a "Resolution on Nanotechnologies and Nanomaterials" in June of 2008. At the recent "Working and Living with Nanotechnologies" conference earlier this month, ETUC presented this resolution and a powerpoint that both summarized and expanded on issues raised by the resolution.

The resolution takes a very positive approach to nanotechnology, anticipating a massive increase in the total number of people employed in nanomanufacturing in Europe. More importantly, it looks at how to minimize potential worker exposure to manufactured nanoparticles and reduce the possible adverse effects of such exposure. In addition, the resolution calls for changes in product labelling and for national registers of nanoproducts to aid the consumer in deciding if they want to purchase a product.

On the whole, this is a moderately toned document that corporations in both Europe and the US presently involved in the commercialization of nanotechnologies and nanomaterials should take a look at and consider.

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