Nanotech issues and ideas metaphorically presented in the movie The Fantastic Voyage in 1963 are here. Nano-engineered materials are being incorporated into everyday products, including stain- or bacteria-resistant materials, stronger and lighter tennis rackets, more effective sunscreens, and super precise drug delivery vehicles. The promise of nano materials appears to be wide, impacting many industries and products.
With the development of new nano-level technologies, there are significant EHS considerations. Human and environmental health considerations are not well understood for many of these materials. Cutting-edge research is being conducted, but in the public health field, there is a general consensus that this research is not keeping pace with materials development.
From a Green to Gold and Quantum EHS perspective, these nanotechnology advances illustrate the importance of integrating EHS thinking into business strategy. Company nanotechnology decisions are not just business decisions—companies must consider EHS risks. Those that get this right can have a competitive advantage; those that don’t can have immediate and decades worth of costs and risks.
© Redinger EHS, Inc. (2010)