Labour Research November 2006

Health & Safety Matters

Nanotech reporting is not good enough

A new voluntary scheme for reporting nanotechnology- related risks is not sufficiently robust, the TUC has said. It wants the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs scheme to be replaced with a compulsory system.

"Nanoparticles" are already used in sunscreens, paints, diesel fuel additives, clothing and other products.

The Health and Safety Executive advises that, since the risks from exposure are not yet fully known, "control strategies should be based on a principle of reducing exposure as much as possible".