News

• New Nanotech Products Hitting the Market at the Rate of 3-4 Per Week New nanotechnology consumer products are coming on the market at the rate of three to four per week, a finding based on the latest update to the nanotechnology consumer product inventory maintained by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN). The number of consumer products using nanotechnology has grown from 212 to 609 since PEN launched the world’s first online inventory of manufacturer-identified nanotech goods in March 2006.
• Europe Spends Nearly Twice as Much as U.S. on Nanotech Risk Research A new analysis by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) indicates that European nations are investing nearly twice as much as the U.S. in research primarily aimed at addressing the potential risks of nanotechnology. The analysis also highlights a substantial over-inflation of the federal government’s nanotechnology risk-research investment figures for the U.S.
• Limited Transparency In Federal Nanotech Research May Hamper Development Today at a House Science and Technology Committee’s hearing, testimony from Dr. Andrew Maynard highlighted shortfalls in the current U.S. Government strategy. According to Dr. Maynard, without clear leadership and more transparency in federal risk research investment, the emergence of safe nanotechnologies will be a happy accident, rather than a foregone conclusion.
• Slow Federal Action to Oversee Nanotechnology Leaves ‘Room At The Bottom’ State and local governments often have adopted trailblazing initiatives to address environmental, health and safety concerns in advance or in lieu of federal action. With nanotechnology, an emerging field of science with unknown risks, this practice is continuing, a landmark study has found.
• EPA Issues Major Enforcement Action on Nano-Pesticide The Environmental Protection Agency has made the decision to fine technology company IOGEAR more than $200,000 for selling unregistered nano-pesticides. At issue are antibacterial claims made by IOGEAR related to its computer peripheral products. All of the products in question are listed in the Project’s inventory of nanotechnology consumer products.

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