TOWARD NANOTECH REGULATION

FEDERAL GUIDELINES proposed on June 9 for the regulation and oversight of products containing engineered nanoscale materials have gotten a mixed reception. The government policies aim to protect public health and the environment without stifling innovation, but some stakeholders see room for improvement. The long-awaited guidelines from the Environmental Protection Agency, the Food & Drug Administration, and the White House are meant to serve as a first step toward regulation of nanotechnology products. The White House document provides a set of principles for agencies to follow to achieve consistency across the federal government with respect to nanotech regulation. The EPA and FDA proposals attempt to provide clarity for industry regarding what constitutes a nanotech product and what data industry needs to provide when marketing such products. EPA’s policy specifically addresses nanotechnology in pesticides. The agency is proposing to require that industry provide data regarding “unreasonable adverse ef...