Project News
- February 20, 2015 New CPSC Nanotechnology Center Would Focus on Risks to Consumers The Consumer Product Safety Commission has requested $7 million in funding for a new center focused on nanotechnology in consumer products.
- June 18, 2014 A Statement about the PEN Consumer Products Inventory and Titanium Dioxide There has been much confusion and misinformation in recent weeks about our Consumer Products Inventory (CPI). Much of this confusion was sparked by a recent report from Friends of the Earth (FOE) on nanoscale materials in food, as well as news articles from Mother Jones and other outlets focused in on the use of nanoscale titanium dioxide in food products.
- October 28, 2013 Inventory Finds Increase in Consumer Products Containing Nanoscale Materials The updated Nanotechnology Consumer Products Inventory now contains 1,628 consumer products that have been introduced to the market since 2005, representing a 24 percent increase since the last update in 2010. In addition to finding new products introduced to the market, the newly re-launched inventory seeks to address scientific uncertainty with contributions from those involved with nanomaterials production, use, and analysis.
- October 10, 2013 New Case Study Explores Influence of PEN Efforts A new case study looks at the work of the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) amidst the shift away from government-led technology assessment.
- October 3, 2012 NIOSH, CDC to Examine Health Effects of Carbon Nanotubes in Workplace The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention and the National Institute for Occupational Safety & Health are taking public comment on their plans for a new exposure assessment and epidemiological study of U.S. workers that are exposed to carbon nanotubes and nanofibers.
- April 20, 2012 FDA Releases Food, Cosmetic Nanotechnology Guidances for Public Comment The Food & Drug Administration has released two new guidance documents for public comment outlining agency policy for the use of nanotechnology in food ingredients and packaging and the use of nanotechnology in cosmetic products.
- January 13, 2012 New EC Publication Marks New Strategy Towards Responsible Innovation The European Commission’s Science in Society Programme reflects on how to proceed towards Responsible Research and Innovation in the Information and Communication Technologies and Security Technology fields.
- April 21, 2011 New Report Finds Public Perception of Nanotechnology Not Negative Today the Food Standards Authority issued a report on consumer attitudes to the use of nanotechnology in Food, drinks and other related products such as processing and packaging. The results, based on focus group studies, suggest that the public perception of nanotechnology in food is not negative, and is based on weighing up the benefits with risks.
- March 24, 2011 Nanotechnology between the lab and the shop floor: what are the effects on labor? A new report by STIP fellow Noela Invernizzi explores the market changes posed by nanotechnology that may be disruptive for some categories of workers.
- March 10, 2011 Nanotech-enabled Consumer Products Continue to Rise The most recent update to the Nanotechnology Consumer Product Inventory finds that over 1,300 manufacturer-identified nanotechnology-enabled consumer products have entered the marketplace to date.
- March 2, 2011 A new video podcast on nanotechnology safety from the ASME Nanotechnology Institute The American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) have just posted a new video on the safe development of nanotechnology, featuring former PEN Science Advisor Andrew Maynard, as part of their series of nano educational podcasts. video
- February 28, 2011 2011 RISD Nanovation Winners Announced Winning projects include smarter crash test dummies, improved firefighting gear, and an advanced water harvesting system for arid climates.
- November 4, 2010 Voluntary Initiatives, Regulation, and Nanotechnology Oversight A new PEN report provides the first ever analysis of voluntary initiatives to regulate nanotechnology. As nanotechnologies move forward, along with other emerging technologies, voluntary programs will play an important role in the governance portfolio available to the federal government as well as states and municipalities.
- November 1, 2010 National Nanotechnology Initiative releases draft of new strategic plan The National Nanotechnology Initiative has posted a new draft strategic plan and is accepting public comments until November 30, 2010.
- May 7, 2010 New EPA definition for “nano” could affect state of regulations At an April 29 presentation to the Pesticide Programs Dialogue Committee in Washington, D.C. EPA’s William Jordan announced a new working definition of nanomaterials.
