Even before the publication of The Royal Society/Royal Academy of Engineering Report in 2004, which identified major gaps in the knowledge base concerning environment and health risks arising from the manufacture and use of nanomaterials, there has been significant research into the environmental health and safety of nanotechnology.
In the UK, the Nanotechnology Research Coordination Group (NRCG) was set up by the Government to coordinate publicly funded research into the potential risks presented by the products and applications of nanotechnologies. The UK Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) chairs the NRCG and the membership includes Government Departments, Regulatory Agencies and the Research Councils.
Attempts have been made to collate information about ongoing studies, for example the Woodrow Wilson Project on Emerging Nanotechnology’s Research Inventory and the recent EU inventory of R & D activity on nanotechnology health and safety. However, these inventories do not provide an interpretation of the value of the work being carried out, or how the findings collectively contribute to resolving the uncertainties.
To achieve this, the EMERGNANO project has been commissioned by Defra to capture and critically appraise the emerging evidence concerning the health and environmental risks of nanomaterials.
In the EMERGNANO project, we are:
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Identifying the completed and near completed studies (UK, Europe, US, Rest of World) primarily through agency contacts, existing project listings and a focussed review of the peer-reviewed literature.
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Compiling information about these studies through liaison with Project Leaders;
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Appraising the relevance, quality and contribution of each study through expert assessment (using a Weight of Evidence Framework) by internationally renowned scientists against 18 of the UK NRCG’s Research Objectives;
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Undertaking a risk assessment appraisal identifying the need for control or management of risk, including an appraisal of whether there is sufficient information to invoke the precautionary principle for one or more nanomaterials;
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Presenting the evidence to a workshop of national and international experts to reach a consensus view about the remaining gaps and future priorities.
For further information on the EMERGNANO project, please contact Dr Rob Aitken (
rob.aitken@iom-world.org
; +44(0)131 449 8003).
The EMERGNANO Project Team includes:
