Nanotechnology in New South Wales

This report, issued by the Australian regional government of New South Wales (NSW) looks at some of the potential risks of nanotechnology development and developed fourteen recommendations on how to move forward. This include such reccomendations as: (1) that the nano-versions of existing chemicals are assessed as new chemicals during the review of the national regulatory frameworks, (2) that the NSW government ensure that all relevant State regulatory agencies be involved in developing a coordinated and cohesive positions on what amendments, if any, are required to existing regulatory frameworks in order to best regulate nanomaterials over their life cycle, (3) to develop a national mandatory labeling scheme for engineered materials used in the workplace with help from federal agencies, and in the absences of a national scheme, NSW shall develop its own, (4) to require food labeling for the presence of nanoscale materials and amend the national Food Standards Code to require labeling, (5) to recommend ingredient labeling requirements for sunscreens and cosmetics during the review of national regulatory frameworks, and to (6) provide funding grants for research and the development of nanomaterials or products containing nanomaterials with a view to their commercialization, and that a component of funding to be sued to assess the health, safety, and environmental risks of the material or product when those risks have yet to be tested or confirmed.