US Government Delays NanoSafety Measures
17 November 2007, 13:28
Categories: responsible-nanotechnology
Want to buy a bag of carbon nanotubes in quantities from a few grams to hundreds of kilograms? With a credit card and Internet access, you can. But is the U.S. government doing enough to ensure the safety of these materials and the hundreds of other nanotechnology commercial and consumer products currently on the market?
The answer is a resounding “no,” says Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies chief scientist Andrew Maynard. “The materials safety data sheet for carbon nanotubes — which provides workers and safety personnel with information on proper handling procedures — treats these substances as graphite, the material used in pencils. But carbon nanotubes are as similar to pencil lead as the soot on my barbeque grill at home is to diamonds.”
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Posted by: The Editors
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