Appropriate risk governance strategies for nanotechnology applications in food and cosmetics
Qualitative surveys of consumer opinion provide evidence of a positive to indifferent attitude towards nanotechnologies and their application, with one exception: foods. Concerns about cosmetics are also rising and consumer advocacy groups and independent experts have recommended that more risk assessments should be conducted before cosmetics containing nanoscale materials are put on the market. Public authorities in several countries have stressed the need for extended risk assessments and careful oversight.
There are a number of issues that require resolution, particularly the need to precisely define what comprises material at the nanoscale. It will be extremely difficult to develop a risk governance regime in the absence of a universally accepted definition or standard for the size at which material should be called nanoscale. Without adequate risk governance structures and processes, public trust may be lost and consumer acceptance of nanotechnology may consequently be reduced.
Given this situation, IRGC started work on its second nanotechnology project in 2007, focussing specifically on nanotechnology applications in food and cosmetics. It had the following objectives:
to explore the different definitions and frames used in the debate on nanoscaled material in food and cosmetics
to identify current and future food and cosmetic products containing nanomaterials
to review the results of current risk assessment studies and investigations
to review existing risk management and regulatory activities in different countries and continents (Europe, US, Japan, Korea, and others)
to compare how different international actors (different countries, international organisations) are judging the tolerability and acceptability of the risks
to identify deficits and develop options for the global risk governance of nanotechnology applications in food and cosmetics.
IRGC is grateful for the financial support to this project provided by the Korean National Program for Tera-Level Nanodevices and the Austrian Federal Ministry for Transport, Innovation and Technology. We also thank the many organisations and individuals who participated in the expert workshop held in April 2008, whose contributions were vital to the completion of the Report published in December 2008 as well as to the risk governance recommendations published in our Policy Brief. The total budget for this project was 139,000 CHF.
For more information on this project, please contact Ms Malin Samuelsson at malin.samuelsson@irgc.org.