There is a growing literature on the use of science to inform decisions on the environmental, health and safety implications of nanotechnology, but little has been published by those who make such decisions. Here, as officials of the US Environmental Protection Agency, the European Commission and the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, we discuss the types of decision facing government regulators, the new considerations nanotechnology brings to decision-making, the role of science in informing decisions, how regulators cooperate internationally on policy issues, and the challenges that lie ahead.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Relevant articles
Open Access articles citing this article.
-
Contextualizing Security Innovation: Responsible Research and Innovation at the Smart Border?
Science and Engineering Ethics Open Access 18 February 2021
-
Comparative analysis of the labelling of nanotechnologies across four stakeholder groups
Journal of Nanoparticle Research Open Access 29 July 2015
-
Perceptions of risk from nanotechnologies and trust in stakeholders: a cross sectional study of public, academic, government and business attitudes
BMC Public Health Open Access 26 April 2015
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 12 print issues and online access
$259.00 per year
only $21.58 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on Springer Link
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
References
Dosh, H. & Van de Voorde, M. H. (eds) GENNESYS White Paper (Max Planck Inst. Metallforsch., 2009); http://go.nature.com/vloWd9
Miller, G. et al. Nanomaterials, Sunscreens and Cosmetics: Small Ingredients, Big Risks (Friends of the Earth, 2006).
Miller, G. et al. Out of the Laboratory and on to Our Plates: Nanotechnology in Food and Agriculture (Friends of the Earth, 2008).
Choi, H., Agarwal, S. & Al-Abed, S. R. Environ. Sci. Technol. 43, 488–493 (2009).
Official Journal of the European Union L136 50, 3281 (29 May 2007).
Schlyter, C. Regulatory Aspects of Nanomaterials (European Commission, 2008).
Resolution on Regulatory Aspects of Nanomaterials. Resolution P6_TA(2009).0328 (European Parliament, 2009).
Christensen, F. M. & Olsen, S. I. Int. J. Life Cycle Assess. 5, 327–332 (2004).
Linkov, I. J. et al. J. Nanopart. Res. 11, 513–529 (2009).
Norris, C. B., Joseph, P. R., Mackiewicz, M. R. & Reed, S. M. Chem. Mater. 22, 3637–3645 (2010).
Renn, O. & Roco, M. Nanotechnology Risk Governance: White Paper No. 2 (International Risk Governance Council, 2006).
Murashov, V. & Howard, J. Nature Nanotech. 4, 467–470 (2009).
Anastas, P. T. & Warner, J. C. Green Chemistry: Theory and Practice (Oxford Univ. Press, 1998).
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Morris, J., Willis, J., De Martinis, D. et al. Science policy considerations for responsible nanotechnology decisions. Nature Nanotech 6, 73–77 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2010.191
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/nnano.2010.191
This article is cited by
-
Recent Insights into the Silver Nanomaterials: an Overview of Their Transformation in the Food Webs and Toxicity in the Aquatic Ecosystem
Water, Air, & Soil Pollution (2023)
-
Contextualizing Security Innovation: Responsible Research and Innovation at the Smart Border?
Science and Engineering Ethics (2021)
-
Perceptions of risk from nanotechnologies and trust in stakeholders: a cross sectional study of public, academic, government and business attitudes
BMC Public Health (2015)
-
Comparative analysis of the labelling of nanotechnologies across four stakeholder groups
Journal of Nanoparticle Research (2015)
-
Nanomaterial risk screening: a structured approach to aid decision making under uncertainty
Environment Systems and Decisions (2015)