Nanotech’s Safety Risks
January 20th, 2006The potential economic impact of nanotechnology is great. According to a 2004 study by the nanotechnology research and advisory firm Lux Research, nanotechnology was incorporated into $13 billion worth of products in the global marketplace in 2004. The study projects that this number will increase to $2.6 trillion by 2014.
With so many products already on the market and the promise of more to come, concerns are growing about the potential environmental, health, and safety (EHS) implications of products utilizing nanotechnology. These concerns were expressed at a hearing convened by the House Science Committee on Nov. 17 to assess research on the EHS implications of nanotechnology and to discuss how the committee could facilitate work in this area.