Patrick Administration Promotes Safe Development of Nanotechnology Sector
Workshop Reviews Practices to Protect Workers, Public Health and the Environment

The Patrick Administration recently hosted an interagency workshop aimed at promoting the safe development of nanotechnology - an advanced technology used in health care, electronics, energy, personal care products, and other industries. Featuring keynote remarks by Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP) Commissioner Laurie Burt and Division of Occupational Safety (DOS) Commissioner Laura Marlin, the workshop focused on industry best practices and the demonstration of techniques to measure airborne nanoparticles.

Nanotechnology is the science of manipulating matter at the atomic level, creating new materials that have new and unique properties and behavior because of their size.

"The nanotechnology sector is an innovative and fast-emerging sector here in the Commonwealth with long-term job creation opportunities," said MassDEP Commissioner Burt. "The 2nd Annual Nanotechnology Workshop brought many nanotechnology partners together to promote the safe development of this emerging sector, offering a number of tools to move nanotech development into the future."

The nanotechnology workshop at the Federal Reserve Bank in Boston drew more than 160 participants from industry, government, environmental groups, research institutions, and academia to discuss how industries and laboratories can protect workers, public health and the environment. Workshop attendees discussed what gaps may need to be addressed and the next steps to support safe nanotechnology development in the Commonwealth.

The workshop was sponsored by MassDEP and hosted by the Massachusetts Interagency Nanotechnology Committee, which comprises MassDEP as well as the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development's Division of Occupational Safety (DOS), Department of Public Health, Executive Office of Housing and Economic Development, Office of Business Development, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs' Office of Technical Assistance and Technology, and the Toxic Use Reduction Institute.

"The goal of this workshop was to ensure that great nanotechnology discoveries made in Massachusetts will help strengthen the Commonwealth's economy, while protecting both the environment and the health and safety of those who work with the technology," said DOS Commissioner Marlin.

The session focused on ways to identify exposure risks and associated solutions, such as working in ventilating hoods, utilizing respirators, wearing protective clothing, and the management of spills and waste streams.

"This is a terrific example of intra-governmental collaboration, and an important conversation for the Commonwealth to be facilitating," said Dr. Susan Windham-Bannister, President and CEO of the Massachusetts Life Sciences Center. "As we strengthen our life sciences sector and our economy, we must do so in a way that is protective of public health, worker safety and our natural resources."

Workshop presentations included the most up-to-date best practices developed by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH), the Center for High-rate Nanomanufacturing (CHN) at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell, and the Toxic Use Reduction Institute (TURI).

Guest speakers were Dr. Charles Geraci of NIOSH and Dr. Michael Ellenbecker of CHN and TURI, both international leaders in the field of nanotechnology safety. The information they discussed provided workshop participants with practical techniques that are immediately applicable for preventing harm in a nano-manufacturing setting.

"The workshop provided an excellent opportunity for collaboration between NIOSH, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and the University of Massachusetts-Lowell to meet a critical need in the nanomaterial industry: the development and dissemination of effective risk management techniques based on sound, applied research," said Dr. Geraci. "NIOSH is extremely pleased with the progress being made by this partnership in the creation of guidelines that minimizes risk to human health and the environment for safe development of this exciting technology."

The workshop also provided a training session on techniques for measuring nanoparticles. Workshop attendees witnessed a demonstration of state-of-the-art equipment such as a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer and Condensation and Optical particle counters. Participants discussed evaluating workplace exposures using these measurement techniques and recommending safe work practices.

For more information on the safe development of nanotechnology, turn to: http://www.mass.gov/dep/toxics/sourcest.htm.

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