Long abstract

About Statistics Publications & Documents Information by topic

This report was published in December 2006 and was conducted by the UK's Economic and Social Research Council's Centre for Business Relationships Accountability Sustainability and Society (BRASS) at Cardiff University. The report provides an analysis of the potential gaps in the regulation of the development, manufacture, supply and use and end of life of free engineered nanoparticles and may be of particular interest to members of WPMN Steering Group 5, who are charged with looking at regulatory measures. Although the report is from the UK perspective it's general findings will have much in common with regulatory issues experienced in other countries.

Many of the regulatory gaps identified in the report arise as a direct result of the lack of existing data on the potential effects of nanomaterials on human health and the environment, rather than any major regulatory oversight. Effective regulation will depend on moving to a position of greater certainty on such questions. Even where risk assessment procedures established under existing regulatory frameworks appear robust, their ability to accurately characterise and assess potential risks associated with nanotechnologies is limited by fundamental uncertainties about the impact of exposure to free, engineered nanomaterials. Better research and better regulation ought to move hand in hand.