Nanoparticles scrutinized for health effects - San Francisco Chronicles, USA
Windows cleaned by raindrops, white sofas immune to red wine spills, tiles protected from limescale buildup - new products created from minute substances called nanoparticles are making such domestic dreams come true.
In the best-case scenario, these nanoparticles are harmless. But some scientists are concerned that these seemingly magical materials are hitting the market before their effects on human health and the environment have been sufficiently studied.

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...

Watching me, watching you - Earth & Sky Radio Series, USA

Listen to MIT’s Paula Hammond discuss how we link nanotech to privacy and security. Hammond was one of a panel of experts who explored nanotechnology’s potential to help monitor and keep track of just about everything.

EU looks at the safety of nanomaterials in cosmetic products - NanoWerk, USA
The controversy over the use of nanoparticles in everyday products, such as cosmetics, has been going on for a while now. The cosmetics industry of course argues that their nanoparticle-containing products are perfectly safe because no problem has been reported so far. Consumer, health and environmental groups beg to differ and claim that there is a potential risk because we just don't know enough about this issue and that we rather should err on the side of caution.
The EU's Scientific Committee on Consumer Products (SCCP) looked at the safety evaluation of nanomaterials for use in cosmetic products. It reported its findings in March 2008 in a report titled "The Safety of Nanomaterials in Cosmetic Products"

Nano-silver: Looking a little tarnished? - Andrew Maynard for SafeNano, UK
Silver is a powerful antimicrobial. Yet widespread and indiscriminate use of silver nanoparticles raises clear concerns: is it harmful to people, will it be released and accumulate in the environment, will it harm environmental organisms, and will it lead to silver-resistant strains of bacteria? The jury’s still out on most of these questions, which suggests more research is needed—and fast.

Groups demand EPA stop sale of 200+ potentually dangerous nano-silver products - NanoAction, USA
The International Center for Technology Assessment (CTA) and a coalition of consumer, health, and environmental groups today filed a legal petition with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), demanding the agency use its pesticide regulation authority to stop the sale of numerous consumer products now using nano-sized versions of silver. The legal action is the first challenge to EPA’s failure to regulate nanomaterials.

Diverse group of stakeholders take on challenge of predicting nanotechnology’s risks - ICON, USA
A report on the findings of two international workshops aimed at defining a set of research needs for assessing potential nanotechnology risks was released today by the International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) at an event sponsored by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) at the Wilson Center in Washington, DC.
Their goal centered on a global research strategy for understanding nanotechnology’s environmental and health impacts.

Feds seek help applying nanotech to defense - AZ Central, USA
Federal agencies and large defense contractors are looking for small businesses with good ideas and the technical expertise to pull them off. The goal is to solve homeland security problems and other issues ranging from defense to public health and infrastructure safety.
Some of the Department of Homeland Security's investments have come in nanotechnology. The technology is being applied to next-generation X-rays and to ways to neutralize chemicals and detect liquid explosives. Nanoparticles are even being tested in high-performance concrete to make infrastructure such as dams less vulnerable, he said.

Why don't we have a nanotechnology Apollo Program for clean energy? - NanoWerk, USA
There is no doubt that nanotechnologies could provide the solutions to our energy problems, not today, and not tomorrow, but with a massive, coordinated and international effort a 10-20 year timeframe seems not unrealistic.
The leading dozen or so nanotechnology nations should get together and commit to a concerted and massively funded 10-year program to develop commercially viable, clean energy solutions based on nanotechnology.
Not only would this provide a way out of the energy and climate crisis, it would finally provide the much-needed, large-scale commercialization of nanotechnologies that will lead to entirely new industries. The funding can be found, the technology can be developed, all it takes is political will...

Japanese Ministry of Health calls on local governments/industry to take preventive measures for nanomaterials safety - NanoWerk, USA
The Ministry of Health, Labour, and Welfare has issued a notice to prefectural governments and nanotechnology industry requesting them to take preventive measures with respect to exposure to nanomaterials. The notice was issued targeting those involved in the manufacture, repair, and inspection of nanomaterials. Manufacturers are instructed that any apparatus should have a sealed structure or that a local exhaust system should be installed. For operating processes other than manufacturing, the processes should be carried out under either sealed , unattended or automated conditions, or a local exhaust system should be installed. The notice briefly touches on management of work and protective equipment.

Too much technology may be killing beneficial bacteria - NanoWerk, USA
Silver nanoparticles also may destroy benign bacteria that are used to remove ammonia from wastewater treatment systems.Several products containing silver nanoparticles already are on the market, including socks containing silver nanoparticles designed to inhibit odor-causing bacteria and high-tech, energy-efficient washing machines that disinfect clothes by generating the tiny particles. The positive effects of that technology may be overshadowed by the potential negative environmental impact.
Because of the increasing use of silver nanoparticles in consumer products, the risk that this material will be released into sewage lines, wastewater treatment facilities, and, eventually, to rivers, streams and lakes is of concern. The silver nanoparticles destroy the benign species of bacteria that are used for wastewater treatment.

New proposals on novel foods - Food Standard Agency, UK
The European Commission is proposing to update the approvals process for novel foods, and clarify the definition of novel foods, including the latest developments in the area such as cloning and nanotechnology. The Agency has issued a consultation on the proposals.

Panel discusses possible harms of nanomaterials - The Daily Bruin, USA
At a nanotechnology summit held at UCLA on Friday a panel of scientists, lawyers and other professionals expressed concerns that exposure to various nanomaterials could be harmful, though they disagreed over whether or not the government should immediately step in to regulate products containing such microscopic particles.

UW-Madison nano research mixes with art, coffee - University of Wisconsin-Madison, USA
In May, 14 striking, larger-than-life photographic prints that are both comfortingly organic and starkly abstract will enable patrons of Mother Fool's Coffeehouse in Madison to visualize a scientific world that's rarely seen outside the laboratory.
"Sights Unseen: Images of the Nanoscale" is an art exhibit featuring research images captured by faculty, staff and students in UW-Madison's National Science Foundation-funded Materials Research Science and Engineering Center on Nanostructured Interfaces and the NSF-funded Nanoscale Science and Engineering Center. The exhibit runs throughout May, with an opening reception from 7-9 p.m. on Sunday, May 4, at the coffeehouse, 1101 Williamson St.

Nanotechnology—in bed with Madonna? - SafeNano, UK
If you want proof that nano is mainstream, just pick up the U.S. May edition of fashion magazine “Elle.” Sharing cover-space with Madonna is the latest article on nanotech and the beauty business.
As nanotechnology begins to rub shoulders with pop culture and awareness of its existence grows, more and more people will be asking what it can do for them, and what the down sides are. Yesterday’s hearing (focused on the reauthorization of the U.S. 21st Century Nanotechnology R&D act) asked what is needed to ensure the commercial success of nanotechnology. And the answers came through loud and clear—understand and avoid risks ahead of the game, ensure transparency, and engage people. Awareness is definitely growing. And as it does, people will want to know whether it is safe and effective.
The question is, will we have the answers?