Nanodynamics joins call for 10% nano funds for safety

Joining DuPont and Environmental Defense, followed by Foresight, Nanodynamics CEO Keith Blakely has issued a call in recent Congressional testimony for 10% of federal nano spending to go toward safety studies: “The federal government, as the largest single investor in nanotechnology research, must take the lead in identifying the appropriate gaps in EHS information and organize appropriate, objective, and economically sound studies to assess the risks and rewards of nanomaterials processes and applications,” said Mr. Blakely. “At present, less than four percent of the National Nanotechnology Initiative budget is devoted to researching health and environmental implications. Given what’s at stake, that figure is inadequate. For a technology as new, untested and potentially pervasive as this, we should consider spending as much as 10 percent of our research budget, or $100 million annually, during the first several years to learn about the potential impact of these materials.” Source: Nanotechwire.com