UK Government publishes Nanotechnologies Strategy
As part of a drive to aid realisation of the benefits of nanotechnologies, and keep the UK at the forefront of nanotechnologies research and innovation the UK Government Office for Science has published UK Nanotechnologies Strategy: Small Technologies, Great Opportunities.
The strategy, which is not the UK's first, was produced following the Government's 2009 response to the Royal Commission on Environmental Pollution's report, Novel materials in the Environment: The case of Nanotechnology. By producing this, it hoped to confirm its commitment to this area, aiming to offer a co-ordinated and joined-up approach to the area across Government Departments.
The actions outlined in the report fall into four broad categories, each with an interdependent strategic aim. These are outlined below:
Business, Industry and Innovation
Aim: Transparent, integrated, responsible and skilled nanotechnologies industry with good links to, and support from Government.
Key Actions:
- to establish a Nanotechnologies Leadership Group to provide strategic leadership for the nanotechnologies industry and to address barriers to growth which affect businesses in this area;
- to encourage companies and academics will be encouraged to apply for funding through Grand Challenge calls from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and Research Councils thus supporting development of innovative applications for nanotechnologies;
- to promote nationally and internationally awareness of the UK nanotechnologies capability, and to support improvements in the underpinning skills capacity required.
Environmental, Health and Safety (EHS) Research
Aim: Better understanding of the risks associated with the use of, and exposure to, nanomaterials, and enough people with the right skills to assess them.
Key actions:
- to explore approaches to Government EHS research on nanotechnologies by the Chief Scientific Adviser network, with the aim of improving co-ordination;
- to maintain an ongoing portfolio of Government and publically funded research into a wide range of crucial EHS nanotechnologies issues;
- to contribute to and influence international work programmes on nanotechnologies including the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development's (OECD) Nanotechnology Working Parties and the EU's Framework Programme.
Regulation
Aim: Better informed policies and regulations relating to nanomaterials and nanotechnologies.
Key actions:
- to create a scheme to succeed the pilot voluntary reporting scheme to include products as well as materials.
- to monitor the success of implementation of upcoming amendments to novel foods and cosmetics directives with respect to nanomaterials, and influence changes made to the Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and Restriction of Chemicals Regulation (REACH) in order to ensure they are robustly covered.
- to perform Horizon scanning and monitoring by the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), FSA and HSE to detect necessity for amendments to legislation in the future.
The Wider World
Aim: Well-informed public and stakeholders and a leading position on nanotechnologies for the UK on the world stage.
Key actions:
- to establish a Nanotechnologies Collaboration Group (NCG) to facilitate ongoing communication and collaboration between Government, academia, industry and other interested parties, including consumer groups; and
- to make available on a portal website information about Government's ongoing actions on nanotechnologies.
IOM's SAFENANO welcomed the strong commitment to address EHS issues. Many of SAFENANO's recent reports have been cited as influential to the strategy's outcomes (e.g. REFNANO, EMERGNANO, CELL PEN and the ongoing REACH and nano contracts). SAFENANO also welcomed the commitment to 'extend the SAFENANO project'. This is just one of a clearly defined list of actions (Appendix A) which if implemented will drive forward understanding of EHS issues.
To access the strategy in full on the UK Government BIS website, follow this link.
Source: SAFENANO