Nanotechnology

For anyone panicking about the possible effects of nanotechnology that I mentioned in my previous post, here's something even more unsettling: Private cosmetic companies aren't required to let the public know if/how nanotechnology is being used, and the consumer watchdog magazine Which? (the original whistle-blower on this issue) said that only eight of the 67 companies approached would comment on how they use nanotechnology.

The good news? Sue Davies, chief policy adviser for Which?, said,

“We’re not saying the use of nanotechnology in cosmetics is a bad thing, far from it. Many of its applications could lead to exciting and revolutionary developments in a wide range of products, but until all the necessary safety tests are carried out, the simple fact is we just don’t know enough."

So what's with all the secrecy?

For those wanting more information, check out these resources:

• Nanocafes.org
• The New York Times
  
• The U.S. Congress Report on Nanotechnology
  
• The Project on Emerging Nanotechnologies