BSI British Standards publishes new guidance for UK industry

Nanoforum

06/02/2008

Don't know your nanorod from your nanoribbon? Want to find out what nanomaterials are in the products you buy? Could the safe handling of nanomaterials be improved? Nine new nanotechnology publications lead the way.

BSI British Standards today announces the publication of nine documents for nanotechnology terminology and guidance for UK industry which will support worker, public and environmental safety and underpin commercialisation and procurement.

The worldwide market for nanotechnology-enabled products is expected to exceed $1 trillion a year by 2015, and nanotechnologies are already used in medicine, 'green technology', and in over 500 consumer products as varied as laptops, sunscreen, tennis rackets and socks. To support this rapidly expanding enabling technology and to enable its safe application, BSI British Standards has drawn together industry expertise to create common definitions for nano-related products and guidance on labelling, safe handling and materials specification.

PAS 130 is a voluntary guide to the labelling of products containing manufactured nanoparticles. This will help to ensure that all users are aware of the nanoparticle content of products they are purchasing, selecting or handling, reducing confusion among the public faced with a new technology. PD 6699-1 offers good practice guidance on 'specifying nanomaterials' which ensures that a product behaves in an expected and reproducible way. PD 6699-2, authored by the SAFENANO team for BSI, offers practical advice for those working in this field on the safe everyday handling and disposal of nanomaterials.