A review of Possible Impacts of Nanotechnology on Australia's Reguatory Framework

This report, commissioned by the Australian Office of Nanotechnology, is an independent review of the effect nanotechnology may have on Australia's regulatory frameworks. The authors found that while there is no immediate need for major changes to regulatory regimes, there are many areas of Australia's regulatory system which will need amending through a long term effort across many agencies as new knowledge about the potential hazards of nanotechnology becomes available. The report identifies six major gaps in current regulation, including the potential failure of regulators to distinguish between nano forms of products that differ in properties from their equivalent conventional forms.