How Should Engineered Nanomaterials Be Regulated for Public and Environmental Health?

Abstract

A central ethical and policy issue regarding minimizing and managing risks of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) is whether existing legal frameworks sufficiently protect public health and the environment. This article argues that policymakers should (1) use existing laws to regulate ENMs and the best available evidence to inform appropriate levels of regulation and (2) support additional research on risks of ENMs. Were they to do so, public health and environmental risks of ENMs could be minimized and managed without sacrificing their potential clinical, social, and economic benefits.

El principio de precaución ante los posibles riesgos de la nanotecnología y sus derivados

“…Por su parte, hubo también varios textos que consideran imperante adoptar el principio de precaución, si se quiere proteger la salud y seguridad humana, y el ambiente: Lin (2007), Grunwald (2008), Wickson (2010), SRU (2011), Andorno (2014), Kuraj (2017) Saldívar-Tanaka (2019), y si se quiere tener un desarrollo responsable de la NT: EC (2009), Stebbing (2009) (2010). Del mismo modo, tomando en cuenta el nivel de incertidumbre (Heselhaus, 2010) o en su caso la gravedad o irreversibilidad sospechados, es oportuno escoger entre las diferentes acciones precautorias posibles: (Phoenix y Treder (2004), RCEP (2008), Faunce (2008), SRU (2011), Resnik (2019).…”

“…Algunos se centraron en la gestión de sustancias químicas, salud, y seguridad de los trabajadores (tanto en el laboratorio de investigación como en la industria): HM Government (2005), Rip (2006), Kanarek (2007), Grunwald (2008), Marchant y Sylvestre ( 2008 Se etiquetaron como análisis regulatorio aquellos que dedican gran parte del texto a revisar instrumentos o modelos regulatorios en el contexto del principio de precaución y la nanotecnología. Entre los textos con alto valor de relevancia, la gestión del riesgo, el análisis de riesgo y la gobernanza fueron los más recurrentes: CEC (2000), IÖW (2004), Phoenix y Treder (2004), Marchant y Sylvestre (2006), Lin (2007), Bryden (2008), EP, (2009), Faunce et al (2008), CEC (2008), Fairbrother (2009), Lee (2010), Heselhaus (2010), Callies y Stockhaus (2012), Mielke (2013), Mbengue y Charles (2013), De Oliveira (2014), Colussi (2014), Andorno y Biller-Andorno (2014), Smismans y Stokes (2017), Solaiman et al (2017), EC (2018), Solaiman et al (2019), Resnik (2019.…”

The Promise of Emergent Nanobiotechnologies for In Vivo Applications and Implications for Safety and Security

“…NPs have also been applied in research settings to facilitate genomic editing, alter drug potency, and manipulate the immune response. 1,2 Here, we intend to highlight some interesting current and future nano-based technologies for nanomedicine, but this discussion is not intended to provide a comprehensive list of technologies, which are covered in other reviews.…”

Environmental Impact of Nanoparticles’ Application as an Emerging Technology: A Review

“…On the other hand, the Environmental Protection Agency of the United States [158] takes over the emissions in the air, water and soil, and the waste produced by chemical products in the farming industry. This regulation faces several difficulties, such as different NPs types that impede the development of general rules and laws, controlling every environmental emission pathway including regular employment attrition and lack of consolidated information about environmental impact and long-term risks [159].…”