Nanotechnology Risk Communication Past and Prologue

Abstract

Nanotechnologies operate at atomic, molecular, and macromolecular scales, at scales where matter behaves differently than at larger scales and quantum effects can dominate. Nanotechnologies have captured the imagination of science fiction writers as science, engineering, and industry have leapt to the challenge of harnessing them. Applications are proliferating. In contrast, despite recent progress the regulatory landscape is not yet coherent, and public awareness of nanotechnology remains low. This has led risk researchers and critics of current nanotechnology risk communication efforts to call for proactive strategies that do more than address facts, that include and go beyond the public participation stipulated by some government acts. A redoubling of nanotechnology risk communication efforts could enable consumer choice and informed public discourse about regulation and public investments in science and safety.

The Protective Action Decision Model: Theoretical Modifications and Additional Evidence

“…Both of these inductive approaches are likely to prove most useful in characterizing people's beliefs about new technologies such as nanotechnology. ( 113 )…”

Risk Policies in the United States: Definition and Characteristics Based on a Scoping Review of the Literature

“…Based on a risk typology that we developed several years ago, we noted that the cases presented in the articles analyzed covered a wide range, with technological or industrial risks making up a majority of the cases reviewed. More specifically, the risks involved transportation issues, food issues, energy issues, including nuclear, or cutting‐edge scientific developments such as nanotechnologies . Chemical risks and industrial risks connected with contaminated soil formed a large part of the sample .…”

“…Among the negative consequences of the events or risks in the cases we studied, health problems were the most frequently noted . The authors mainly describe the risk of contagion and death associated with the events.…”

“…The authors mainly describe the risk of contagion and death associated with the events. The second main category of negative effects concerns damage to the environment, such as the modification of an ecosystem or pollution. It is interesting to observe that health and environmental problems were often discussed simultaneously in the articles we analyzed.…”

Are Australians concerned about nanoparticles? A comparative analysis with established and emerging environmental health issues

“…5 It has been suggested that the erosion of trust from this issue is partly responsible for the public concerns Europeans have expressed over the safety of genetically modified foods. [6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] Nanotechnologies Nanotechnologies is a collective term for a range of technologies, techniques and processes that involve the manipulation of matter at a nanoscale. The genetically modified organisms (GMOs) provide one example; others include mobile phones and phone towers, high voltage power lines, wind farms and coal seam gas extraction.…”