Potential Nanotechnology Implications-Rd 1

Millennium Project
Environmental Pollution and Health Hazards
Resulting From Military Uses of Nanotechnology
-- Round 1 --

On behalf of the Millennium Project of the American Council for the United Nations University, we have the honor to invite you to participate in a two-round Delphi study. The purpose of this study is to identify and rate important forms of nanotechnology-related environmental pollution and health hazards that could result from military activity, and to suggest military research that might reduce these problems.

Lux Research estimates that more than $8.6 billion will be spent this year on nanotechnology R&D worldwide, and that 2004 will be the last year that governments outspend corporations in nanotechnology, as activity shifts from basic research to the development of applications. Little is known about the environmental and health risks of manufactured nanomaterials. The military is a major force in nanotechnology R&D; and hence, it can play a key role in understanding and managing nanotechnology risks. Your insights are invited to help shape that role.

The enclosed Round 1 seeks your views about potential environmental pollution and health hazards from military use of nanotechnology, and research needed to address these risks. Round 2 feeds back the results of Round 1 and asks for further prioritization.

The results will be distributed to relevant military research personnel and published in the 2005 State of the Future. Complimentary copies will be sent to those who respond to this questionnaire. No attributions will be made, but respondents will be listed as participants in the report.

The Millennium Project is a global participatory system that collects, synthesizes, and feeds back judgments on an ongoing basis about prospects for the human condition. Its annual State of the Future, Futures Research Methodology, and other special reports are used by decision-makers and educators to add focus to important issues, clarify choices, and improve the quality of decisions. In addition to the Millennium Project sponsors, the U.S. Army Environmental Policy Institute is contributing to this study.

Please return your responses by 15 October 2004. You can respond here on-line, or download the MsWord version of the questionnaire at http://www.millennium-project.org/millennium/nanotech-rd1.doc and e-mail the response as an attached file to acunu@igc.org with copies to jglenn@igc.org and tedjgordon@worldnet.att.net.

We look forward to including your views.

Jerome C. Glenn, Director, Millennium Project
Theodore Gordon, Senior Fellow, Millennium Project

Although no attributions will be made, for demographic analysis and so that you can be listed properly as participant in the 2005 State of the Future, and so that a copy can be sent to you, please fill in the information below:

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Introduction

The US National Science Foundation allocated US$30 million in FY 2002 for studies of environmental and health impacts of nanotechnology. In 2003 the European Union funded the NANOSAFT project to assess the technology’s environmental and health risks. In July 2003 the US EPA invited proposals to study environmental and health impacts of nanotechnology. As you address the questions below, please give special attention to research needs beyond these ongoing studies, specifically those that should be conducted by the military.

Your input is welcome on the full range of nanotechnologies of the present and future from nanobulk-process nano (simple structures), top-down nano (low-volume production), and nano-built nano (high-volume, low-cost, complex high-performance components -- and even whole products). For the purposes of this study, the definition of Vicki L. Colvin of Rice University is used to define engineered nanomaterials as "inorganic materials of high uniformity, with at least one critical dimension below 100 nm, specifically engineered for applications." Also included in this study are structural materials made of nanotubes of all kinds -- carbon, carbon-silicon, and other materials, plus "metamaterials" -- nanopatterned bulk materials with unique electromagnetic properties due to nanostructuring and other manufactured nanoparticles, as well as productive nanosystems and their products.

Round 1 asks the three questions:

What environmental pollution and health hazards might result from military uses of nanotechnology in the time periods 2005-2010 and 2010-2025?
How likely is it that research questions/projects listed below, if pursued would generate critical knowledge for the prevention or reduction of future nanotech environmental pollution and health hazards? What other research questions/projects should be added, taking into account your answers to question 1?
What additional major ongoing or planned studies should be added to the given list of five overview studies to help understand the priorities in addressing these questions?

You need not answer every question; only those about which you have expertise.

Question 1: What important environmental pollution and health hazards might result from military uses of nanomaterials? Importance is defined as potentially affecting large numbers of people in potentially irreversible ways.

Between 2005 and 2010 (two examples are provided)

Military Use 2005 - 2010	Environmental or Health Impact
Nanomaterials in sun screens, camouflage creams, and/or bioweapons skin shields	Absorption of nanoparticles through the skin and/or flushed into the environment and entering the food chain
Nanomaterials (e.g., nanotubes) in uniforms and equipment to make them stronger and lighter.	Nanofiber-like materials that break off from uniforms and equipment that enter the body and environment.

Please add other military uses of nanotechnology and their environmental or health impact

1. Military use 2005-2010: