International Consultation for 'Responsible Nanocode' Launched in US

The Washington-based Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies announced it will host the US launch of an international consultation on a new "Code for Responsible Nanotechnology" aimed principally at businesses and research organizations. The initiative is funded by Britain’s Royal Society and the United Kingdom government-sponsored Nanotechnology Knowledge Transfer Network, and supported by the Nanotechnology Industries Association and Insight Investment. The event will take place Oct. 9 between 12:30 and 2 p.m. at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and will be webcast live at: www.wilsoncenter.org/nano. The aim of the consultation is to establish a consensus on what constitutes good practice and, in the absence of regulation, provide interim guidance on what organizations and businesses can do to demonstrate they are managing nanotechnologies responsibly. The working group that developed the draft code is now soliciting comments from all types of organizations around the world that are interested in nanotechnologies. The draft code will be presented at this meeting by working group representatives; a panel of experts will offer their initial views, and then the meeting will open for discussion. Comments can be submitted directly via www.responsiblenanocode.org until Nov. 12.