NanoRisk: What Can You Do About It? - Environmental Protection, USA
If you work in the electronic, biomedical, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, energy, catalytic, and materials industries and your employer uses nanoparticles or materials that contain nanoparticles, you may be at risk for exposure. The American Industrial Hygiene Association estimates that 4 million people in the United States are expected to be exposed to nanometer-diameter particles on a regular basis as these industries grow. Because of their size, nanoparticles can penetrate deep into the body, even crossing the blood-brain barrier. As nanomaterial issues have broadened to include corporate liability and reputation, more organizations are looking into worker exposure and how to better reduce it.

Committee Passes Legislation to Reauthorize NNI - Media NewsWire, USA
Today, House Science and Technology Committee approved H.R. 5940, the National Nanotechnology Initiative Amendments Act of 2008. This legislation amends the 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act to make several changes to the implementation process and priorities of the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI).

Overview of regulatory and voluntary measures for the handling of engineered nanomaterials in Europe - NanoWerk, USA
Nano-specific regulations have been called for from several parties with most controversies focusing on the topic of nanomaterials use in food products. It is criticized that consumers unwillingly have to take risks caused by the higher bio availability and bio activity of such materials. Against this background, some NGOs and consumer protection groups ask for a strict duty of declaration as well as systems and obligations to report on engineered nanoparticles in consumer products. However, most companies active in this area are not willing to discuss the topic publicly.
Regulatory frameworks for the handling of engineered nanomaterials already exist in Europe.

Towards a European observatory on nanotechnologies - NanoWerk, USA
The role of the observatory would be to present reliable, complete and responsible science-based and economic expert analysis across different technology sectors and establish a dialogue with decision makers and others regarding the benefits and opportunities of nanotechnologies, balanced against barriers and risks.

No Silver Bullets - New York Times Bits, USA
Nano-silver particles won’t attract the same attention as the prospect of global climate catastrophe. But nanotech skeptics are focusing on the materials most widely used in consumer products. The two groups of materials most often spotlighted in this strategy are nano-scale pigments, which are used in sunscreens and cosmetics, and nano-silver particles.

Nanotechnology? What are you talking about? - NanoWerk, USA
Ask 10 people what nanotechnology is and you will get 10 different answers. There are all these terms floating around: 'bottom-up' and 'top-down' fabrication, 'atomically precise manufacturing', 'molecular assembly', 'self-assembly', 'nanorobots', 'nanofactories' and so forth.

And then of course you hear about all these 'nanotechnology' products already hitting the market – but they seem decidedly low-tech, such as golf balls, 'no-smell' socks, toothpaste, scratch-resistant car paint, and so on – that's what we have been investing billions and billions of dollars for? Pretty confusing, huh? Let's start to disentangle...

On May 21, members of the Madison group Citizens' Coalition on Nanotechnology (CCoN) gathered at Brocach Pub for an evening of informal discussions with Dr. Andrew Maynard.

Click here to watch the videos from the conference.