What sort of nano regulation do we want?

The defining characteristic of an effective nano regulator will be the requirement the burden of proof be on proponents to demonstrate safety.

Any regulatory framework should ensure that:

●    all nano-materials and products are subjected to rigorous health and environmental impact assessment, including evidence based testing, prior to their release into the environment;

●    due to the radically altered characteristics of nano materials compared to their larger scale counterparts, nano materials should be assessed as new substances, even where the properties of larger scale counterparts are well-known;

●    the assessment should be based
on the precautionary principle and the onus should be on proponents to prove safety, rather than relying on an assumption of safety;

●    risk assessment should include the entire life cycle of the products in question, from ‘cradle to grave’;

●    all relevant data related to safety assessments, and the methodologies used to obtain them, to be placed in the public domain;

●    nanotechnological products be subjected to a social impact assessment including consideration of ethical concerns;