The Materials of Emerging Regulatory Interest Team (MERIT) consists of individuals throughout the Department of Defense with a common interest in emerging contaminants. MERIT was established and is led and supported by the Emerging Contaminants Directorate, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Installations & Environment (DUSD(IE)), to help the Department of Defense proactively approach emerging contaminants to enable a fully informed, risk based investment decision process that protects human health and DoD operational capabilities.

This report describes efforts being made by governments and other organizations around the world to understand the extent nanotechnologies are being used. The report was released by the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD).

Developed by Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly-Identified Health at the request of the European Commission, this report contains a scientific opinion on the appropriateness of existing methodologies to assess the potential risks of nanotechnologies and the scientific background of the opinion.

Sponsored by the group Environmental Defense, this is a discussion between ED and EPA about the regulatory future of nanotechnology.

The International Center for Technology Assessment (CTA) and a coalition of consumer, health, and environmental groups today filed a formal legal petition with the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), calling on the agency to address the human health and environmental risks of untested and unlabeled nanomaterials in consumer products. The petition is the first U.S. legal action filed to address the potential human health and environmental risks of nanotechnology.

The International Risk Governance Council (IRGC) is conducted a project to address the need for adequate risk governance approaches at the national and international levels in the development of nanotechnology and nanoscale products. As a result, the project team developed a generic global framework for the risk governance of nanotechnology.

As a part of the research, there should be a determination as to whether or not engineered nanomaterials pose risks and how would the research be used in making regulatory decisions. Engineered Nanomaterials is used to identify chemicals and other materials that are intentionally designed to have special properties because of their tiny size, shape, and other characteristics and to distinguish them from other materials, such as ocean spray, soot, or fine particles, which are about the same size but are not intentionally designed. The report summarizing the panel's recommendations should be available by the end of May.

Newspaper article about Federal regulatory concerns related to nanotechnology.

NNI provides a multi-agency framework to ensure U.S. Leadership in nanotachnology by investing in fundamental research to further understand nanoscale phenomena and facilitate technology transfer.

This free, publicly available online database of consumer products engineered with nanotechnology was launched March 10 by the Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The database contains information on 212 products from 15 countries, including clothing, cosmetics, dietary supplements, and goods for children.

Released by The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, the report examines the strengths and weaknesses of the current regulatory framework for nanotechnology and calls for a new approach to nanotechnology oversight.

The purpose of this paper is to describe the menu of possibilities for government action to deal with the adverse effects of nanotechnology (NT). The second purpose is to provide evidence relevant for determining what needs to be done to manage NT.

This inventory has been developed in order to facilitate coordinated and integrated research addressing potential environmental and health risks.

Dated 22 December 2005, this document was developed by the National Law Institute’s Nanotechnology Initiative. The focus of the document is the need to develop an effective environment, health, and safety structure to govern nanotechnology.

The Meridian Institute, a nonprofit organization, has developed an information service (Nanotechnology and Development News) to track developments related to risk-based research and socioeconomic impacts as an approach to identifying the health and environmental risks of nanotechnologies.

This is a road map that identifies critical questions that must be addressed in order for the United States to reap the potential environmental and economic benefits of nanotechnology. Along with presenting the anticipated benefits of nanotechnology, the paper also deals with risk management of possible negative impacts of the new technologies. EPA will accept public comments on the draft white paper until Jan. 9, 2006.

The inventory catalogs global government-funded research into the human health, safety and environmental implications of nanotechnology. While not comprehensive, it is designed to serve as a resource for researchers, policy makers and others engaged in ensuring the success of nanotechnologies through understanding and reducing potential risks. It also includes some research projects supported by industry, foundations and others. This inventory is international and expanding.

Overview of nanotechnology, starts on page 3 of the document.

This report is an updated description of possible elements of the voluntary nanoscale materials program EPA is developing.

This document is a draft Strategic Plan for NIOSH Nanotechnology Research.

The International Council on Nanotechnology (ICON) and Rice University's Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology (CBEN) have developed the first online database compiling scientific research related to the benefits and risks of nanotechnologies. The free database can be searched by keywords, the name of the author of a study, type of nanoparticle, type of experiment, and other search terms, ICON and CBEN said in their announcement.

ASTM Committee E56 on Nanotechnology is reviewing 80 revised, proposed definitions of words used by scientists, companies, and others working with nano-engineered materials.

Article addressing the possible uses of nanotechnology for issues such as energy storage, energy production, water treatment and remediation, air pollution and remediation, and construction. Salamanca-Buentello F, Persad DL, Court EB,Martin DK, Daar AS, et al. (2005) Nanotechnology and the developing world. PLoS Med 2(4): e97.

The report, which was released April 6, 2006 includes information on innovative, emerging technologies in addition to common practices. In particular, the report outlines information on “off-gas” treatment technologies for soil vapor extraction systems currently being used to clean up hazardous waste sites.

ASTM International panelists are in the process of developing a standard to assess vapor intrusion as it relates to property transactions. Vapor intrusion is caused by the release of volatile chemicals from contaminated soil and groundwater into indoor air spaces of overlying buildings, potentially causing both safety and health concerns. Panel meeting will be held in the future to determine if vapor intrusion is a recognized environmental condition (REC), which means site assessors would have to determine if chemical vapors that can contaminate indoor air through vents, porous concrete and other pathways may be present. Some environmentalists, mortgage lenders and others have suggested that if vapor intrusion is not considered a REC, it could lead to lawsuits against environmental consultants who did not consider it during site assessments or property owners who did not disclose the potential for indoor air contamination before a transaction.