Nanotechnology Project

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  • publications/archive April 24, 2008 Congressional Testimony - National Nanotechnology Initiative: Charting the Course for Reauthorization 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. Today, in testimony before the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science & Transportation, PEN Project Director David Rejeski cited Ace Silver Plus—another of the nine nano toothpastes in the inventory—as an example of the upsurge in nanotechnology consumer products in stores. The hearing marks the start of U.S. Senate debate on the future direction of the annual $1.5 billion federal investment in nanotechnology research and development .
  • news/archive April 24, 2008 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.
  • publications/archive April 9, 2008 PEN 11 - 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.
  • news/archive April 9, 2008 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.
  • events/archive April 2, 2008 New Nanotechnology Television Series Does “Sweat the Small Stuff” The Project and National Science Foundation will host the Washington, DC, premiere event for the television series “Nanotechnology: The Power of Small”. The series’ three programs explore critical questions about nanotechnology’s potential impact on privacy, the environment and human health and will include remarks by U.S. Senator Ron Wyden, a co-chair of the Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus.
  • news/archive March 7, 2008 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.
  • news/archive February 6, 2008 European Commission Gives Grant To Investigate Transatlantic Oversight Of Nanotechnology Researchers at the London School of Economics and Political Science, Chatham House, Environmental Law Institute and the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies, have been awarded a $587,000 European Commission grant to conduct an international research project on regulating nanotechnologies in the European Union and United States
  • news/archive January 31, 2008 How Will Government Spur Technological Innovation In The 21st Century? At the January 22nd Congressional Nano Caucus briefing, project director David Rejeski recommended the establishment of a federal venture capital fund to speed the development and commercialization of green nanotechnology applications. This follows the release of a white paper on government-run VC funds by the Woodrow Wilson Center’s Foresight and Governance Project.
  • publications/archive January 4, 2008 Looking Back on the First Two Years This report reviews the Project’s major activities, key contributions, and most significant impacts over its first two years.
  • publications/archive December 12, 2007 A Survey of Environmental, Health and Safety Risk Management Information Needs and Practices among Nanotechnology Firms in the Massachusetts Region
  • news/archive December 12, 2007 Nanotechnology Companies Need Clear Environment and Health Roadmap to Succeed Today, the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies released the results of a new survey of New England-based nanotechnology companies aimed at discovering how firms in almost every sector of the economy address the possible environmental, health and safety (EHS) impacts of new nanoscale materials and products. The survey found that these firms lack a clear roadmap of government EHS expectations and regulations for successful commercialization, as well as the information needed to meet those expectations.
  • publications/archive December 3, 2007 Feynman, Voltaire and Beckett on Nanotechnology This presentation examines flaws in the assertion by the U.S. government that the existing regulatory system is adequate to address risks from nanotechnologies and explores actions that need to be taken to help foster successful commercialization of nano products.
  • news/archive June 25, 2007 Nanotechnology: Consumers Must Be Convinced Benefits Outweigh Risks
  • events/archive June 21, 2007 Environmental Defense and DuPont to Jointly Launch Risk Framework Environmental Defense and DuPont invite you to the launch of the Nano Risk Framework, a tool for evaluating and addressing the potential risks of nanoscale materials. video
  • events/archive June 11, 2007 Perspectives on Nanotechnology: Business, Government and Public Health Scientists have hailed nanotechnology as the next great scientific revolution, poised to create revolutionary changes in the daily lives of people worldwide. At an event hosted by the Project at the Dirksen Senate Office building, a panel of experts offered different perspectives on the budding potential of nanotechnology, but also cautioned that exploiting the unpredictable properties materials exhibit at the nanoscale may have as much potential to harm as to help. video