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‘Turning Vision into Reality’ — BIAC publishes Nanotechnology Vision Paper

Published: Thursday 5 February 2009

The BIAC Expert Group on Nanotechnology  (BIAC = ‘Business and Industry Advisory Committee to the OECD’) has published a Nanotechnology Visions Paper, detailing business views on the future of nanotechnology. The paper, entitled ‘Responsible Development of Nanotechnology: Turning Vision into Reality’, outlines the major benefits that could stand to be accrued through the use of nanotechnology across different economic sectors, and is intended to serve as guidance as international nanotechnology policy is debated and formulated.

In particular, the paper highlights the following areas of Present and Future Opportunities [for Nanotechnologies]:
  • Energy
  • Food and Agriculture
  • Healthcare
  • Water Treatment
  • Information & Communication
  • Pollution Remediation

The Vision Paper furthermore outlines the following areas of Present and Future Challenges [for Nanotechnologies]:

  • Environmental, health and safety issues
  • Responsible Development
  • Human resources
  • Intellectual property rights
  • Marketing and consumer issues

The Vision Paper concludes by noting the recommends a list of Present and Future Roles for BIAC and the OECD [in Nanotechnologies].

For more information about BIAC’s work on nanotechnology, please contact Hanni Rosenbaum or Jonathan Greenhill at the BIAC Secretariat.

Follow these links to find out more about the BIAC Expert Group on Nanotechnology, or to download the BIAC Nanotechnology Vision Paper from the NIA server (registered NIA Members only; the NIA is a Member of the BIAC Expert Group on Nanotechnology; NOTE: the next meeting of this group will be held on the 23rd February 2009 in Washington D.C.).

 
Related Links:
The OECD’s Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) published a page dedicated to the OECD WPMN Sponsorship Programme on its public website; the page links to the table of Sponsorship Arrangements (including countries and stakeholders contributing to the programme) and the list of a representative set of manufactured nanomaterials and endpoints for Phase 1 testing. (29th August 2008)
 
The Nanotechnology Industries Association has received the first go-ahead on its proposed interdisciplinary research project entitled ‘PROSPEcT: Ecotoxicology Test Protocols for Representative Nanomaterials in Support of the OECD Sponsorship Programme’ ; the project represents a 50:50 public-private-partnership with the UK Government’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) to support the OECD Sponsorship Programme on Manufactured Nanomaterials. (3rd July 2008)
 
The OECD’s Working Party on Manufactured Nanomaterials (WPMN) (Chemical Safety, Environment Directorate) released the List of Manufactured Nanomaterials and List of Endpoints for Phase One of the OECD Testing Programme that forms the basis for the OECD’s Sponsorship Programme, launched in December 2007. (3rd June 2008)