Posted: July 23, 2010

New EU-funded project to develop sustainable solutions for nanotechnology-based products based on hazard characterization

(Nanowerk News) The Nanosustain FP7 project commenced on 1st May 2010 followed by a kick-off meeting in Sweden. The project is funded for three years and has the objective of developing innovative solutions for the sustainable design, use, recycling, and final treatment of nanotechnology-based products. Although production of nanomaterials is rapidly increasing, our knowledge about possible health and environmental effects associated with these materials is still rather poor.
NanoSustain will therefore address the following questions:
1) How, and to what degree, will society and the environment will be exposed to nano-materials and associated products; and
2) Where do these particles end up? Expected results will improve our present knowledge on the impact and fate of these particles after entering economic and natural cycles.
NanoSustain has mobilised a critical mass of expertise, resources and skills to tackle this complex issue and the consortium includes many leaders in the field of hazard characterisation and life cycle analysis. The IoN will be providing management support in addition to leading the dissemination activities of the project.
Expected results will improve our present knowledge on the impact and fate of these particles after entering economic and natural cycles. NanoSustain has mobilized the critical mass of expertise, resources and skills to tackle this complex issue.
Based on results from hazard characterization, impact assessment and LCA, we will explore on a lab-scale new solutions for the design of selected nano-materials and associated products and their sustainable use, recycling and final treatment. As the concerned nanotech industry will actively participate in the planned project, NanoSustain will set the ground for the development of new sustainable products and industrial applications, and hence help to strengthen competitiveness of the European nanotechnology industry.
Source: NanoSustain