| Summary: |
This report summarizes the findings of the Expert Panel on Nanotechnology (the panel) established by the Council of Canadian Academies to assess “…the state of knowledge with respect to existing nanomaterial properties and their health and environmental risks, which could underpin regulatory perspectives on needs for research, risk assessment and surveillance.” Given the current limited state of scientific knowledge regarding many nanomaterials, the panel identifies the need to give priority to the development and resourcing of a strategic research agenda to improve our understanding of the risks associated with each specific class of nanomaterials. Research into metrology, into properties of nanomaterials that are linked to biological responses, and into effective monitoring and surveillance strategies should be given high priority as a means of assessing health and environmental risks. Although the panel believes that it is not necessary to create new regulatory mechanisms to address the unique challenges presented by nanomaterials, existing regulatory mechanisms could and should be strengthened. This includes more attention to addressing issues of classification, regulatory triggers and regulatory capacity, and that regulatory agencies coordinate their activities with each other, between federal and provincial levels of government and with the regulatory agencies of other countries. Moreover, a critical aspect of this management in a regulatory context is the involvement of the public, which includes not only self-identified stakeholders but the broader public who act as citizens and consumer advocates. |