Brief background information on nanotechnology and nanomaterials

The document highlights the risks associated with manufactured nanoparticles, noting that they are used in numerous consumer products despite a lack of mandatory labelling and insufficient safety assessments. It cites evidence of toxicity, including asbestos-like pathogenicity from certain carbon nanotubes, and warns that developing countries may disproportionately bear these risks. The briefing calls for a global governance process, mandatory information sharing by producers, and the adoption of the precautionary principle to protect workers and consumers.

• There is significant uncertainty regarding the health impacts of nanoparticles, which is exacerbated by the industry's failure to share existing information and a lack of mandatory registration and labelling for nano-products.
• Manufactured nanoparticles, including silver, titanium dioxide, zinc, and zinc oxide, pose toxicity risks; specifically, some carbon nanotubes have been found to cause mesothelioma in mice and exhibit asbestos-like pathogenicity.
• Nanoparticles present diverse biological and environmental risks, including the ability to cross the placenta and affect developing embryos, as well as the potential for bioaccumulation and biomagnification in the environment.
• The majority of nanoproducts enter the market without nanoparticle-specific safety assessments, and current international efforts, such as the OECD nanomaterials sponsorship programme, are insufficient to provide timely risk assessment data.
• Nanotechnology may increase global socio-economic inequity, as benefits are unlikely to reach the poor and developing countries may become dumping grounds for waste or host manufacturing rejected by wealthy nations.

APA

Center for International Environmental Law (n.d.). Brief background information on nanotechnology and nanomaterials. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IPEN_Beijing_Nano_22Dec09.pdf

Chicago

Center for International Environmental Law. Brief background information on nanotechnology and nanomaterials. n.d. https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IPEN_Beijing_Nano_22Dec09.pdf.

Wikipedia

{{cite report |author=Center for International Environmental Law |title=Brief background information on nanotechnology and nanomaterials |url=https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IPEN_Beijing_Nano_22Dec09.pdf |access-date=17 August 2026 |via=Climate Insights Directory}}

BibTeX

@techreport{centerforinternationalenvironmentallawndbrief, author = {{Center for International Environmental Law}}, title = {{Brief background information on nanotechnology and nanomaterials}}, institution = {Center for International Environmental Law}, url = {https://www.ciel.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/IPEN_Beijing_Nano_22Dec09.pdf}, urldate = {2026-08-17}, note = {Indexed by Climate Insights Directory} }