Issues International Harmonisation

There are several international initiatives that are actively involved in the 'harmonisation' of nanotechnology, (e.g. standards development and best practice) with a particular emphasis on risk issues.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) has established a programme (working party) on the safety of manufactured nanomaterials. The two main objectives are this programme are to promote international co-operation in human health and environmental safety related aspects of manufactured nanomaterials, in order to assist in the development of rigorous safety evaluation of nanomaterials and to promote responsible innovation and commercialization of nanotechnology, and to assist the development of an enabling regulatory environment. This program is promoting international research leading to the development of harmonised safety testing protocols.

The International Standards Organisation (ISO), has established ISO 229 Nanotechnologies which is developing standards for terminology, metrology, test methodologies and science-based health, safety, and environmental practices. BSI, DIN, CEN, ASTM are also particularly active and have an important role to play in developing and promulgating international harmonisation. In Europe, the European Commission through its Framework Programme (FP7) has funded a series of major projects addressing risk issues. Through the development of the NanoSafety Cluster these projects are now collaborating with each other to use common materials and to develop harmonised protocols for safety testing. NANOfutures, launched in 2010, is a European Technology Platform funded by the European Commission, aiming to promote and raise the standard of nanotechnology activities throughout Europe. NANOfutures comprises a consortium of leading European nanotechnology organisations and provides a resource for business, research, Government and financial institutions across Europe and integrates with the NanoSafety Cluster to promote the exchange and use of validated methods and data.

IOM scientists and consultants participate in several of the OECD, ISO and BSI committees as well as both the NanoSafety Cluster and NANOfutures and are taking leading roles in helping to promote international co-operation and harmonisation on these issues.