Abstract: Whilst the global players in industry are rapidly moving forward to take advantage of the new opportunities
and prospects offered by nanotechnologies, it is imperative that such developments take place
in a safe and sustainable manner. The increasing use of engineered nanomaterials (ENMs) in consumer
products has raised certain concerns over their safety to human health and the environment. There are
currently a number of major uncertainties and knowledge gaps in regard to behavior, chemical and biological
interactions and toxicological properties of ENMs. As dealing with these uncertainties will require
the generation of new basic knowledge, it is unlikely that they will be resolved in the immediate future.
One has to consider the whole life cycle of nanoproducts to ensure that possible impacts can be systematically
discovered. For example, life cycle assessment (LCA) – a formalized life cycle concept – may
be used to assess the relative environmental sustainability performance of nanoproducts in comparison
with their conventional equivalents. Other less formalized life cycle concepts in the framework of
prospective technology assessment may uncover further detailed and prospective knowledge for human
and environmental exposure to ENMs during the life cycle of nanoproducts. They systematically reveal
impacts such as cross product contamination or dissipation of scarce materials among others. The combination
of different life cycle concepts with the evolving knowledge from toxicology and risk assessment
can mitigate uncertainties and can provide an early basis for informed decision making by the industry
and regulators.
Abstract: The precautionary principle (PP) aims to anticipate and minimize potentially serious or irreversible risks under conditions of scientific uncertainty. Thus it preserves the potential for future developments. It has been incorporated into many international treaties and pieces of national legislation for environmental protection and sustainable development. In this article, we outline an interpretation of the PP as a framework of orientation for a sustainable information society. Since the risks induced by future information and communication technologies (ICT) are social risks for the most part, we propose to extend the PP from mainly environmental to social subjects of protection. From an ethical point of view, the PP and sustainability share the principle of intergenerational justice, which can be used as an argument to preserve free space for the decisions of future generations. Applied to technical innovation and to ICT issues in particular, the extended PP can serve as a framework of orientation to avoid socio-economically irreversible developments. We conclude that the PP is a useful approach for: (i) policy makers to reconcile information society and sustainability policies and (ii) ICT companies to formulate sustainability strategies.
Abstract: Nanotechnology (NT) is expected to bring about novel technological designs and materials resulting in a wide spectrum of applications. Experience gained from past innovations shows that new technologies are often accompanied by undesired side-effects. If such side-effects are neglected or underestimated, they may result in damage. In this article we examine whether innovators, the pioneers of technological advance in nanotechnology, are aware of the lessons that can be learned from adverse effects that have occurred in connection with several past innovations. Based on the results of a survey taken among innovators we discuss what consequences the innovators draw for the present innovation process and which priorities they set when dealing with environmental and health risks of nanotechnology. Results suggest that innovators may be not very sensitive to early scientific warnings regarding risks of nanotechnology. The innovators are confident that risks are assessable and manageable on a "business as usual" basis. They consider lacking public acceptance as a potential hurdle for innovation and many innovators are afraid of a backlash. Nevertheless, they seldom engage in risk communication or stakeholder dialogue. Picking up recommendations voiced by the innovators interviewed, we sketch some possible approaches as to how innovators could tackle the potential risks of nanotechnology in a proactive manner.
Abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are one of the most promising materials in nanotechnology. The various synthesis, purification and postprocessing methods produce CNTs with diverse physical characteristics, appliable in many fields. Their extensive projected use makes it important to understand their potential harmful effects. Besides showing a notable range of results of some toxicology studies, this review concluded that: a) there are different types of CNTs; thus, they cannot be considered a uniform group of substances; and b) in environmental compartments, CNTs can be bioavailable to organisms. Their properties suggest a possible accumulation along the food chain and high persistence. In organisms, CNT absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion and toxicity depend on the inherent physical and chemical characteristics (e. g., functionalization, coating, length and agglomeration state), influenced by external environmental conditions during CNT production, use, and disposal. Thus, characterized exposure scenarios could be useful in toxicology studies. However, upon reaching the lungs in enough quantity, CNTs produce a toxic response (time and dose-dependent). The risks to human health and environment should be identified for a successful introduction of CNTs in future applications.
Abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNT) are expected to be applied in a wide range of industrial applications and consumer products. As a consequence of widespread usage and their supposed persistence against degradation, human and environmental exposure to CNT is likely to increase. There are still many open questions regarding the effects of human or ecological exposure. However, the results of toxicological studies suggest that nanotubes may affect human health. Here we study possible sources of CNT-release on the basis of two case studies. In order to investigate whether and under which conditions CNT may be released from applications, we track the CNT throughout their life cycle as part of two types of consumer products: lithium-ion secondary batteries and synthetic textiles. The findings of the case studies suggest that a release of nanotubes can occur not only in the production phase, but also in the usage and disposal phases of nanotube applications. The likelihood and form of release is determined by the way CNT are incorporated into the material. A considerable part of all CNT used may finally be dispersed somewhere in the technosphere or the environment, e.g. by cross-product contamination during recycling. As long as potential adverse effects of CNT cannot be ruled out, we recommend implementing precautionary measures along the value chain (including the end-of-life treatment) in order to reduce the release and possible negative environmental or human health effects of CNT. (c) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Abstract: Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are considered one of the most promising materials in nanotechnology, with attractive properties for many technologic applications. The different synthesis, purification, and postprocessing methods produce CNTs with different physical characteristics, which can be applied in different fields ranging from composite materials, medical applications, and electronics to energy storage. The widespread projected use of CNTs makes it important to understand their potential harmful effects. In this environmental health review we observed a remarkable range of results of some of the toxicology studies. The comparability should be improved by further standardization and introduction of reference materials. However, at present the findings of this review suggest several key points: a) there are different types of CNTs, and therefore they cannot be considered a uniform group of substances; and b) in environmental compartments, CNTs can be bioavailable to organisms. The properties of CNTs suggest a possible accumulation along the food chain and high persistence. In organisms the absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, and toxicity of CNTs depend on the inherent physical and chemical characteristics such as CNT functionalization, coating, length, and agglomeration state that are influenced by the external environmental conditions during CNT production, use, and disposal stages. Characterized exposure scenarios could therefore be useful when conducting toxicologic studies. However, CNTs produce a toxic response upon reaching the lungs in sufficient quantity; this reaction is produced in a time-and dose-dependent manner. The identification of possible risks to human health and environment is a prerequisite for a successful introduction of CNTs in future applications.
Abstract: The Precautionary Principle aims at anticipating and minimizing potentially serious or irreversible risks under conditions of uncertainty. Although it has been incorporated into many international treaties and pieces of national legislation for environmental protection and sustainable development, the Precautionary Principle has rarely been applied to novel Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) and their potential environmental impacts. In this article we analyze the implications of the disposal and recycling of packaging materials containing so-called smart labels and discuss the results from the perspective of the Precautionary Principle. We argue that a broad application of smart labels bears some risk of dissipating both toxic and valuable substances, and of disrupting established recycling processes. However, these risks can be avoided by precautionary measures, mainly concerning the composition and the use of smart labels. These measures should be implemented as early as possible in order to avoid irreversible developments which are undesirable from the viewpoint of resource management and environmental protection. (c) 2005 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Abstract: The vision of Pervasive Computing is built on the assumption that computers will become part of everyday objects, augmenting them with information services and enhanced functionality. This article reports on the approach we have used to assess potential side effects of this development on human health and the environment, and the major risks we identified. Social risks such as the risk of conflicts between users and non-users of the technology were also included because of their potential indirect adverse health effects. Assessing a technological vision before it has materialized makes it necessary to deal with two types of uncertainty: first, the uncertainty of how fast and to what extent the technology will be taken up and how it will be used; second, the uncertainty of causal models connecting technology-related causes with potential health or environmental effects. Due to these uncertainties, quantitative methods to evaluate expected risks are inadequate, Instead, we developed a "risk filter" that makes it possible to rank risks according to a set of qualitative criteria based on the Precautionary Principle. As the overall result, it turned out that Pervasive Computing bears potential risks to health, society, and/or the environment in the following fields: Non-ionizing radiation, stress imposed on the user, restriction of consumers' and patients' freedom of choice, threats to ecological sustainability, and dissipation of responsibility in computer-controlled environments.
Abstract: The Precautionary Principle aims to anticipate and minimize potentially serious or irreversible risks under conditions of uncertainty. Thus it preserves the potential for future developments. It has been incorporated into many international treaties and pieces of national legislation for environmental protection and sustainable development. However the Precautionary Principle has not yet been applied systematically to novel Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) and their potential environmental, social, and health effects. In this article we argue that precaution is necessary in this field and show how the general principle of precaution can be put in concrete terms in the context of the information society. We advocate precautionary measures directed towards pervasive applications of ICT (Pervasive Computing) because of their inestimable potential impacts on society.
Abstract: Pervasive Computing refers to visionary new ways of applying Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) to our daily lives. It involves the miniaturisation and embedding of microelectronics in non-ICT objects and wireless networking, making computers ubiquitous in the world around us. Unlike most of today’s ICT products, Pervasive Computing components will be equipped with sensors enabling them to collect data from their surroundings without the user’s active intervention. If our daily life is to be pervaded in such ways by microelectronic components, running all the time with most of them wirelessly networked, one must ask whether these technologies might not have undesirable side-effects. The expected benefits need to be weighed against the potential risks involved in implementing such technological visions. When comparing opportunities with risks, we will have to answer the basic question of the ethics of technology: ‘Which technologies do we want in our lives, and what kind of a world would that be?’ Only a public discourse can provide answers to this question. The purpose of the present study is to make a contribution to such a discourse by striving to present objectively the opportunities and risks of Pervasive Computing. The study focuses on the risks for human health and the environment.
