Nanotechnology Now - Press Release: ANSI-NSP Releases Nanotechnology Standards Recommendations

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Abstract:
The recommendations identify four broad standardization topics.

ANSI-NSP Releases Priority Recommendations Related to Nanotechnology Standardization Needs

New York, NY – November 17, 2004

From the definition of the term "nano," to particle size and shape, to environmental impact, a series of recommendations released from the Nanotechnology Standards Panel of the American National Standards Institute (ANSI-NSP) provides a broad framework from which standards work in this emerging area of technology can be approached. The ANSI-NSP serves as the cross-sector coordinating body for standards in the area of nanotechnology and provides the forum within which stakeholders can work cooperatively to promote, accelerate, and coordinate the timely development of useful voluntary consensus standards.

In September 2004, nearly 100 representatives of academia, the legal profession, industry, government, standards developing organizations and other subject matter experts gathered for the first meeting of the ANSI-NSP to discuss the coordination and development of voluntary consensus standards relating to nanotechnology. As a result of this first meeting, the panel has issued a set of priority recommendations on those areas of nanotechnology that have the most urgent need for standardization.

The recommendations identify four broad standardization topics to be most urgent in a 12-month-or-less time frame:

General terminology for nanoscience and technology, including definition of the term "nano," consideration of impact on intellectual property/other issues, sensitivity to existing conventions
Systematic terminology for materials composition and features, including composition, morphology and size
Toxicity effects/environmental impact/risk assessment, including environmental health and safety, reference standards for testing, controls, and testing methods for toxicity
Metrology/methods of analysis/standards test methods, including particle size and shape, and particle number and distribution

The ANSI-NSP identified manufacturing and processing as well as modeling and simulation as items of lower urgency and noted standardization time frames of 3-5 years in these areas.

The panel is actively soliciting the participation of ANSI accredited standards developing organizations and other interested parties in its efforts toward developing nanotechnology standards.

The full text of the recommendations is available via ANSI Online.

ANSI is a private non-profit organization whose mission is to enhance U.S. global competitiveness and the American quality of life by promoting, facilitating, and safeguarding the integrity of the voluntary standardization and conformity assessment system. Comprised of businesses, professional societies and trade associations, standards developers, government agencies, and consumer and labor organizations, the ANSI Federation represents the diverse interests of more than 120,000 entities and 3.2 million professionals worldwide.

ANSI is the official U.S. representative to the International Accreditation Forum (IAF), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and, via the U.S. National Committee, the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC). ANSI currently has offices in New York City and Washington, DC.