Regulatiing emerging technologies in silicon valley and beyond: lessons learned from 1981 chemical spills in the electronic industry and implications for regulation nanotechnology

This report provides a case study of the regulatory landscape faced by Santa Clara County in the 1980s when new "clean" manufacturing processes used during the electronics boom led to widespread groundwater pollution. The report then draws parallels between the situation posed by nanotechnology to the 1980's case, specifically in how gaps in the environmental regulatory framework could potentially cause similar problems as the nanotechnology industry in Silicon Valley continues to develop. The report then gives some recommendations in how to close these policy gaps, and urges the incorporation of the precautionary principle in policies that are developed as a way to address potential environmental problems before they occur.