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Nanohazard Symbol Contest
The Nanohazard Symbol Contest was initiated by the action group on Erosion, Technology, and Concentration (the ETC Group), a global science and technology governance nongovernmental organization (NGO). The symbol is meant to increase the visibility of a nanoscale science and technology safety discourse. The winning symbols of the 2007 Nanohazard Symbol Contest were Dimitris Deligiannis (Greece), Shirley Gibson (Scotland), and Kypros Kyprianou (England).
Sixteen 2007 contest winners were chosen from the 482 designs submitted by people from 24 countries.
The ETC Group was one of the first NGOs, if not the first, to question medical and environmental health safety issues with existing nanoscale materials, as well those in development and envisioned. The ETC Group initiated the Nanohazard Symbol Contest, feeling that a common, internationally recognized symbol warning of the presence of engineered nanomaterials was overdue. The ETC Group also used the term nanohazard to highlight social hazards, such as what would happen to the livelihood of people, particularly in low-income countries, if nano products replaced natural products. The ETC Group has called for a moratorium on nanoparticle production and release to allow for a full societal debate and the development of regulations and nanogovernance structures to protect workers, consumers, and the environment, and to minimize possible negative consequences.
Details of the Competition
The ETC Group and other involved parties sent out notice of the competition through their global networks, which included artists, designers, scientists, students, regulators, and members of the public. Entries were judged on their conceptual as well as artistic merit. All submitted entries were treated as copyright-free, and entries submitted with copyright conditions (other than creative commons) were not considered. An independent panel of judges selected by the ETC Group selected 16 finalists. The second stage was the public judging which took place at the World Social Forum in Nairobi, Kenya, in January 2007. Winners of Nanohazard Symbol Contest were announced at the World Social Forum. The competition drew 482 entries from 24 countries. The winning designs were submitted to international standard-setting bodies responsible for hazard characterization.
Response to the Symbols
Members of the NGO community who were already involved in the nano safety discourse saw the competition as a positive, whereas groups that questioned the safety discourse did not. Some felt that the symbols were not representative of the social hazards attached to current and future nanoproducts and processes, and felt that the symbols only highlighted medical and environmental health and safety issues. Others felt that the symbol did not reflect the dangers attached to other nanoscience areas, such as nanostructures or molecular manufacturing.
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Further Readings
- Art, Design, and Materials
- Bionanotechnology Centers
- Context
- Clinton, William J.
- Converging Technologies
- Feynman, Richard
- Fullerene
- Human Enhancement
- IPOs of Nanofirms
- Journal of Nanoparticle Research
- Microscopy, Atomic Force
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- Nanobiotechnology
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- Nanomaterials
- Nanotech Chronicles, The
- National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (U.S.)
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- Roco, Mihail
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- Center for Nanotechnology in Society (ASU)
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- Center on Nanotechnology and Society (Kent School of Law)
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- Centre for Bioethics and Public Policy
- Consensus Conference on Nanotechnology
- Democs
- Foresight Institute
- Friends of the Earth Nanotechnology Project
- Hyle
- International Council on Nanotechnology
- International Symposium on Nanotechnology, Occupational and Environmental Health
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- Nanoscale Undergraduate Education Program
- Nanotechnology Engagement Group (Involve)
- National Center for Learning and Teaching in Nanoscale Science and Engineering
- National Citizens' Technology Forum
- Popular Culture
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- Public Value Mapping
- Public Values
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- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK)
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- Green Nanotechnology
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- Nano Risk Framework
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- Nanophotovoltaics
- Nanotech Environmental, Health, and Safety Roadmap
- Nanotoxicology
- Nanoweapons, Ethical Issues of
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- Occupational Safety and Health Enforcement (U.S.)
- Risk Amplification
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- Risk Attenuation
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- Risk-Benefit Perceptions of Nanotechnology
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- Access
- Bioethics
- Centre for Applied Philosophy and Public Ethics (Australia)
- Centre for Bioethics and Public Policy
- Codes of Conduct, Corporate
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- Environmental Ethics/Philosophy and Nanotechnology
- Equity
- Ethics and Risk Analysis
- Human Enhancement, Biological Risks
- Journal of Lutheran Ethics
- Nano-Ethics
- NanoEthics
- Nanoethics Group
- NanoEthics Network
- NanoEthicsBank
- Nanomedicine, Ethical Issues of
- Nanoscientists as Moral Agents
- Nanoweapons, Ethical Issues of
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- Nanogate (Tribological Coating for Automobiles)
- Nanotechnology Foundation of Texas
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- Regulation (Europe)
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- Russia
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- Trade Secrets and Nanotechnology
- United Kingdom
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- United States
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- 21st Century Nanotechnology Research and Development Act of 2003
- Anticipatory Governance
- Arms Control
- Berkeley, California, Local Regulatory Efforts
- Cambridge, Massachusetts, Local Regulatory Efforts
- Center for Nanotechnology in Society (ASU)
- Center for Nanotechnology in Society (UCSB)
- Center on Nanotechnology and Society (Kent School of Law)
- Congressional Nanotechnology Caucus
- Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (UK)
- Department of Agriculture (U.S.)
- Department of Defense (U.S.)
- Department of Energy (U.S.)
- Department of Health (UK)
- Environmental Protection Agency (U.S.)
- Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (Germany)
- Federal Ministry of Education and Research (Germany)
- Food and Consumer Goods Authority (Netherlands)
- Food and Drug Administration (U.S.)
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- Governance
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- National Cancer Institute (U.S.)
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- National Institutes of Health (U.S.)
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- Bainbridge, William
- Control
- Converging Technologies
- Drexler, K. Eric
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- Joy, Bill
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- Kroto, Sir Harry
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- Nordmann, Alfred
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- Roco, Mihail
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- Australian Office of Nanotechnology
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- Canadian NanoBusiness Alliance
- Center for Biological and Environmental Nanotechnology
- Center for Nanotechnology in Society (ASU)
- Center for Nanotechnology in Society (UCSB)
- Center for Responsible Nanotechnology
- Center for the Environmental Implications of NanoTechnology
- Center on Nanotechnology and Society (Kent School of Law)
- Commission for Atomic Energy (France)
- Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization
- Community Research and Development Information Service
- Foresight Institute
- Friends of the Earth Nanotechnology Project
- International Council on Nanotechnology
- International Nanotechnology and Society Network
- International Symposium on Nanotechnology, Occupational and Environmental Health
- Iran Nanotechnology Policy Studies Committee
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- Nanobase
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- NanoTrust Project (Austria)
- National Nanotechnology Advisory Panel (U.S.)
- National Nanotechnology Coordination Office (U.S.)
- National Nanotechnology Infrastructure Network (U.S.)
- National Nanotechnology Initiative (U.S.)
- National Program of Nanotechnology (Brazil)
- National Science Foundation (U.S.)
- Society for Nanoscience and Technology
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