Are we going to create a replacement for aluminium? How do we ensure that new hybrid materials of biological and nanostructures are safe and properly regulated? The Nano Information Commission, the first official advisory body on nano-safety for the Austrian Ministry of Health, is bringing the Who is Who of Austria’s nano-scene together to discuss such important issues as consumer safety, new materials for food packaging and safety at work.

Representing business, scientific and consumer interests

"Representatives of the Chamber of Labour and the Chamber of Commerce sit on the commission alongside scientists from the Austrian Academy of Sciences, the University of Vienna and the national consumer protection agency. This diversity is so important because there are so many different aspects to nanotechnology. The term actually stands for a multitude of different processes, techniques and methods that are relevant for different branches of the economy", emphasizes Gazsó, who has been responsible for the NanoTrust project at the Institute for Technology Assessment of the Austrian Academy of Sciences since 2007.

Together with his deputy Eva Ehmoser, head of the Institute for Synthetic Bioarchitectures at the BOKU, he will continue to lead the commission until 2023. The appointment took place on Monday 21 October at the Federal Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Health and Consumer Protection.

Nano is everywhere

"What we have achieved so far is above all to create transparency and non-partisanship when it comes to nano-safety", stresses Gazsó. Consumers have a right to know which substances are in their sunscreen. Workers should not be exposed to any safety risks when handling nanomaterials that have been little researched. And politics has the opportunity to stay on the cutting edge of scientific research and explore economic potential."

By: Denise Riedlinger