The German government has issued a product advisory and the manufacturer involved has recalled a product called “Magic Nano.” This has caused a bit of fuss regarding nanoparticle safety, with the ETC Group renewing their call for a moratorium. ICON, on whose Editorial Board I serve, has issued a more moderate statement (pdf).
Gossip via the backchannel is that the product does not, in fact, contain nanoparticles. I will clarify this when I’ve heard with more certainty.
There’s a bright side to the fuss: it’s encouraging multi-stakeholder organizations such as ICON to refine their procedures, which will be useful when the more challenging issues raised by advanced nanotech come along. —Christine
