Organic standard-bearer, the Soil Association, has become the first organisation in the world to ban the use of man-made nanomaterials, meaning products featuring the Soil Association certification logo will not be able to contain them.
Whilst the organisation recognises there may be benefits to nanotechnology, which involves the manipulation of matter on the atomic and molecular scale to produce new materials, it raises strong concerns on the lack of research into the risks associated with super fine particles and the lack of governmental regulation.
Currently over $9bn is being invested globally in various applications of nanotechnolgy and the Soil Association say that companies including L’Oreal, Unilever, Boots and Lancome are already developing and introducing super fine particles into cosmetics and health products. Currently these products are not required to have labelling warning consumers of the presence of super fine particles.
“The Soil Association is the first organisation in the world to ban nanoparticles,” stated Gundula Azeez, Soil Association policy manager. ”There should be no place for nanoparticles in health and beauty products or food. We are deeply concerned at the government’s failure to follow scientific advice and regulate products. There should be an immediate freeze on the commercial release of nanomaterials until there is a sound body of scientific research into all the health impacts. As we saw with GM, the government is ignoring the initial indications of risk and giving the benefit of the doubt to commercial interest rather than the protection of human health.”
Professor Vyvyan Howard, nanotechnology researcher at the University of Ulster, called for further research, noting that whilst the term nanotechnology covers a vast range of applications, including many unthreatening, “in the areas of health and beauty and food more research must be done. There is considerable evidence that nanoparticles are toxic and potentially hazardous.”