Europe invests nearly twice as much as the US in research addressing the potential risk of nanotechnologies, a report issued by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies (PEN) indicates.

While the US National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) allocated USD13 million (€8.1 million) to risk-related projects in the fiscal year 2006, Europe set aside USD24 million (€15 million) over the same time period.

The report was conducted by PEN, an initiative of the US-based Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the Pew Charitable Trusts, and is based on data listed in the NNI research strategy.

According to the PEN assessment, 62 US-government funded nanotech projects with a total annual budget of USD13 million could be categorised as highly relevant to potential environment, health or safety (EHS) hazards.

The US government, on the other hand, disagrees. Their estimates amount to USD37.7 million (€23.6 million) invested in EHS research in nanotechnology.

'It appears the U.S. is guilty of wishful thinking in its assessment of research that will lead to the development of safe nanotechnologies,' comments PEN chief science advisor Andrew Maynard. 'It is trying to substitute research that might inform science's general understanding of possible nanotechnology risks for research that is focused on getting answers to direct questions being asked today - what makes a nanomaterial potentially harmful, how can it be used safely, and what happens when it is eventually disposed?'

'Both the U.S. government figure and the results of the PEN assessment show that less than three percent of the USD1.4 billion [€876 million] federal nanotechnology research budget was spent on environment, health and safety research,' Mr Maynard adds. However, draft legislation has been proposed that would amend the NNI strategy to make sure that a minimum of 10% of the funds (USD150 million = €94 million) go into risk research.

In contrast, the EU has incorporated EHS concerns into nanotechnology research as an important part of a balanced approach to the subject. 'It is fundamental to have a high level of public health, safety, and environmental and consumer protection,' EU Research Commissioner Janez Potocnik said at a conference in Brussels in April 2007.

Earlier this year, the Commission adopted a code of conduct for responsible nanotech research, encompassing seven general principles to ensure that nanotechnologies are developed in a safe manner. Among other things, these principles include calls for sustainability and precaution as well as accountability of researchers and research organisations.

In addition, funding for nanotech safety research has been expanded under the EU's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7), bringing into focus quantitative data on (eco)toxicology as well as development of nano-specific tests, exposure and risk assessment methods, and methodologies for life cycle analysis. FP7 has become the world's largest public funding source for nanotechnology with a total budget of €3.5 billion.

Experts estimate that by 2014, about 15% of the total global output of manufactured goods, worth USD2.6 trillion (€1.6 trillion), will incorporate nanotechnology.

Source: Community R&D Information Service (CORDIS)