Safety Rules For Nanotechnology
by
Randy Mears
Remember when scientists started experimenting with genetic engineering? From the outset, these scientists were concerned about the safety factor. Not just safety concerns for the biotechnology worker but for the flora and fauna of the planet as well. By the time genetic engineering reached the public consciousness, science fiction writers and scientific watchdogs had already envisioned and written about enough global nightmare scenarios to ensure that major steps would be taken in the name of safety.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that there isn't risk; I'm just saying that I think scientists in biotechnology reflect on the dangers as a matter of course and that they take measures to safeguard all of us. In the US, the CDC Office of Health Safety has published its 4th Edition of the “Biosafety in Microbiological and Biomedical Laboratories” handbook. Is government involvement and regulation the reason why we don’t seem to be as worried about it as we used to be?
Nanotechnology emerged differently. Though scientists may have been concerned about the negative effects of these tiny particles on biology, it wasn't where the public or the government was focused. With all the talk about nanorobots and super strong materials like nanotubes, we were focused more on the magic of this new frontier? Were we forgetting the lessons we should have learned from asbestos and coal dust? In the early days when nanotubes were first coming out of the labs, were the scientists concerned about whether or not it was safe for them to waft around in the air and, ultimately, into their lungs? It seems like a logical concern but was it actually something they were thinking about and avoiding? I really don't know.
What about nanotubes in consumer products? Are there risks for consumers when these products shatter, melt or age? Considering that nanotechnology products are proliferating and appearing in everything from sports equipment to cosmetics, shouldn’t there at least be a safety manual?
DuPont and Environmental Defense (a national non-profit organization) have decided to take on the problem by producing a comprehensive framework for the responsible development and use of nanoscale materials. It is called "The Nano Risk Framework" and it is aimed at the global audience. Not everyone is satisfied with this voluntary approach and feel that government regulation combined with a wider debate is necessary.
Will governments ultimately weigh-in on this topic with some good old-fashion regulation? I certainly hope so.
