In a joint report entitled ‘Nano & Biocidal Silver’, Friends of the Earth Australia and Friends of the Earth Unites States ‘calls for a immediate moratorium on the commercial release of products that contain manufactured nanosilver until nanotechnology-specific regulation is introduced to protect the public, workers and the environment from their risks, and until the public is involved in decision making.’

The authors of the report point out that ‘undoubtedly silver and nanosilver have useful applications in the medical arena (for instance as coatings for medical devices or as wound care for severe burns victims), [...]’.

The report claims to highlight many examples of the application of silver as a ‘bulk material’, as ‘nanosilver’, and in the form of soluble silver compounds, but the distinction between these is not always clear. Nevertheless, Friends of the Earth conclude with a nano-specific call upon governments to:

• Establish comprehensive and precautionary legislation to manage the risks associated with nanotechnology in general and nanosilver technology in particular.
• All nanomaterials must be subject to new safety assessments as new substances, even where the properties of larger scale counterparts are well-known.

Follow these links to read the press release accompanying the launch of the report, or to download the full report.