Teaming up to police nano-threats - MarketPlace, USA

Nanotechnology could radically change medicine, electronics and even help clean up the environment. But those tiny particles could also be a threat to human health. Amy Scott reports on a new nonprofit-corporate effort.

Nanoethics -- The watchdog of a new technology? - EurekAlert (Press Release), USA
In an article just published in the debut issue of the journal NanoEthics entitled, “Ethics and Technology ‘in the Making’: An essay on the Challenge of Nanoethics,” an expert discusses how nanoethicists can be among the actors who shape the meaning and materiality of an emerging technology. The first issue of NanoEthics is available online free of charge at www.springerlink.com.

Sunscreen: What About Nanoparticles? - EnviroBlog, USA

Kate at Grist did a great write-up on EWG's sunscreen investigation. Ian Illuminato, who works on nanotech issues for Friends of the Earth US, posted an extensive comment about the report's final recommendation of products containing nanoparticles, particularly of Zinc Oxide and Titanium Dioxide. We at EWG regret to say that Friends of the Earth is simply is not a credible source on this subject.

Trust and communication: keys to public acceptance of nanotechnology - Cordis, EU
Torsten Fleischer from the Karlsruhe Research Centre spoke of a common desire among those surveyed to be better informed about nanotechnology. A focus group established by his team found a high level of curiosity, and a wish for more transparency from research and industry, government safeguards, and the publication of results from independent product tests.
'People will accept that there are uncertainties and limits of knowledge. These will be accepted when they are admitted and communicated,' said Dr Fleischer.

New Rules Expected on Safety of Nanotechnology Products - New York Times, USA
DuPont and Environmental Defense, one of the nation’s largest environmental groups, plan to release jointly developed guidelines today for evaluating the safety and environmental risks of nanotechnology products.
Products are being invented much faster than toxicologists can fully test and describe all of their potential effects.

Backgrounder: Civil Society-Labor Coalition Rejects Fundamentally Flawed DuPont-ED Proposed Framework - ETC Group, Canada, 12 April 2007

Truly green nanotechnology - growing nanomaterials in plants - NanoWerk, USA
A lot of buzz has been created by the term "green nanotechnology". Unfortunately the concern for a negative impact on the environment is also heightened: some of the chemical procedures involved in the synthesis of nanomaterials use toxic solvents, could potentially generate hazardous byproducts, and often involve high energy consumption (not to mention the unsolved issue of the potential toxicity of certain nanomaterials). This is leading to a growing awareness of the need to develop clean, nontoxic and environmentally friendly procedures for synthesis and assembly of nanoparticles. Scientists are now exploring the use of biological organisms to literally grow nanomaterials.

Russia to allocate $7.7 bln for nanotechnology until 2015 - RIA Novosti, USA
A top Russian official said Thursday the government would allocate 200 billion rubles ($7.7 billion) to develop nanotechnology until 2015. "We are on the threshold of a real nano revolution, capable of overturning all our ideas on life," First Deputy Prime Minister Ivanov said.