report
5.3 Nanotechnology EHS Landscape

Activity concerned with the EHS aspects of nanotechnologies has been growing for a decade. Multiple position papers and roadmaps nave been published. Standardisation committees have been formed and standards relating to terminologies, measurement methods and risk assessment processes are being developed.  Industrial, national and international research programmes have been established. New research groups have been brought together. The number of researchers working within the field has grown enormously and an impressive body of work has been undertaken. New research journals have been founded and the literature has grown exponentially. 

In relation to these issues, ObservatoryNANO has identified relevant groups and organisations active in the field and has collected and assessed outputs from these organisations. This information has been used to develop two liaison reports previously published by ObservatoryNANO (see chapter 5.2 on the right hand navigation).

Emerging knowledge from these organisations and other activities has been used to examine the scientific and technical outputs from the other parts of the Observatory, in order to assess whether there exist any EHS implications of these. These technical sector EHS evaluations have been previously published by ObservatoryNANO (see chapter 5.1.1-5.1.10).

This EHS landscaping report for nanotechnologies is a continuation from ObservatoryNANO’s earlier EHS work. Its aim is to provide a map and concise overview of key organisations and their activities within the field worldwide in relation to nano-EHS. This landscaping document is intended to support communication of efforts, outlining those key initiatives, activities and projects within the field. Keeping track of this rapidly changing field is and will remain a huge challenge. This document therefore only provides a snapshot of efforts on-going within 2011, and we acknowledge that it will change with time.

Key organisations and projects working within the nanotechnology Environment, Health and Safety field (nano EHS) were identified and grouped into seven major areas:

• Research
• Knowledge Transfer & Review
• Standardisation
• Guidance
• Regulation
• Public Engagement
• Professional Bodies

A short overview of of the organisations working within each area is provided, together with links and references to further information. 

The full report is available to download in pdf format here (pdf, 764kb).