Environmental Defense and DuPont Partner to Address Nanotech Risks
by Eric Kane, New York, NY on 03. 1.07
Earlier this week, Environmental Defense and DuPont released a draft strategy that will enable firms that manufacture or use nanomaterials to evaluate and manage environmental risks. The six-step strategy is the product of a partnership that began in September 2005 to encourage the responsible development of nanotechnology-based products. The Nano Risk Framework establishes processes for companies to use to evaluate potential risks, determine staff roles, and gather information. Furthermore, it recommends the use of life cycle analysis to address material sourcing, workers’ exposure, and disposal. For those who are interested in contributing to the development of this framework, Environmental Defense and DuPont will be accepting comments from the public until March 30 at feedback@nanoriskframework.com. To view the Nano Risk Framework, click here.
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Great idea.
Conspicuous by their absence, is any mention of the US Federal Agencies: EPA or OSHA. Thinking ahead a bit, will Congress pull the nails out of the agency coffins in time to take advantage of what this partnership comes up with? Or, are we headed into an entirely different future space, where the stock market rewards those companies that properly manage risk and penalizes those who do not? The latter direction seems utterly improbable unless China stops serving as the dumping ground for high hazard , inefficient technology.