...And Even Smaller - What's the Nano Risk?

DEFRA (the Dept. for Food and Rural Affairs) has today published a consultation on ways of gathering information on the potential risks associated with the use of nano technologies.

Nanotechnology is the process of applying materials at the nano level - the atomic, molecular and macromolecular levels. A nanometre is one thousand millionth of a metre. For comparison, a human hair is 80,000nm wide, a red blood cell 7,000nm wide and a water molecule 0.3nm wide! Nanoparticles are currently used in some sunscreens, paints, diesel fuel additives and clothing

Applied in this way the behaviour of materials is different than when applied at the gross or normal level. But how different?

That's what we need to know - for safety's sake, as well as for all those positive innovations that might become possibe.

Defra Minister Lord Bach says: "There is currently very little information on the potential risks posed by nanoscale materials and we want to work with firms who are involved with nanotechnologies in order to better understand the uncertainties in this developing area."

I should hope so too. But then there's the little (and not-so-nano) matter of commercial confidentiality. How nano a stumbling block might that be?

The Dept. is proposing that a voluntary reporting scheme should be created. Do you see any potential flaws or pitfalls here? If you do, then have your say. The consultation will run until 23rd June.

DEFRA consultation here.