NanoKommission
The NanoKommission was an overarching advisory body of the federal government , which was supposed to coordinate the discussion about the opportunities and risks of nanotechnology and to summarize them in political recommendations within the framework of the so-called NanoDialog . The commission was appointed at the end of 2006 by the then Federal Minister for the Environment, Sigmar Gabriel , and comprised experts from the responsible authorities, academia as well as representatives from business and its associations as well as from NGOs . In two consultation phases, this commission, headed by Wolf-Michael Catenhusen , prepared extensive reports on the state of knowledge and guidelines on the responsible use of nanomaterials and presented its final report in January 2011.
Foundation and way of working
Based on the so-called research strategy on the risks and opportunities of nanotechnology, which was jointly drawn up by the Federal Environment Agency (UBA) , the Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) and the Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) in August 2006, the then Federal Minister called for Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Sigmar Gabriel (SPD) launched the so-called NanoDialog on November 30, 2006, which was supposed to organize an interdisciplinary exchange on the new technology with the participation of over 120 external experts. To coordinate and consolidate this dialogue, Gabriel appointed the so-called NanoKommission (NanoKommission) of the Federal Government, initially fourteen and later sixteen, under the direction of the former Research State Secretary Wolf-Michael Catenhusen, which began its work at the beginning of 2007 and made recommendations for the Federal Government until the end of the following year Should work out how to use the new technology. To support this, three working groups, each with around 15 to 20 additional experts, were appointed to examine the following topics:
- Working group 1: "Opportunities for the environment and health"
(Head: Ulrich Buller )
- Working group 2: "Risks and Security Research"
(Head of Arnim von Gleich )
- Working group 3: "Guidelines for the responsible use of nanomaterials"
(Head: Hans-Jürgen Wiegand)
The NanoKommission, for its part, led and structured the main work areas of these working groups, the final reports of which were included in the corresponding summarizing publication of the NanoKommission, but revised and provided with additional information on the part of the commission.
Since it turned out during the ongoing consultations that the time would not be sufficient for a comprehensive handling of the work orders, a second consultation phase followed with a slightly expanded cast; In addition to additional members in the NanoKommission itself, the number of accompanying expert committees was increased to four and an extraordinary working group was set up:
- Topic group 1: "Principles for responsible use"
- Topic group 2: "Benefits and risk aspects of nanoproducts"
- Topic group 3: "Regulation of nanomaterials"
- Topic group 4: "Assessment of nanomaterials with regard to their effects on humans and the environment"
- Ad hoc working group: "Sustainable nanotechnologies /" green nano ""
Members
Under the chairmanship of Wolf-Michael Catenhusen, the following were appointed in the first working phase of the NanoKommission from the end of 2006 to the end of 2008:
| Ulrich Buller | Fraunhofer Society |
| Helmut Horn | Association for the Environment and Nature Conservation Germany eV |
| Michael Jung | Nanogate AG |
| Martin Kayser | BASF AG |
| Holger Krawinkel | Consumer Federation eV |
| Uwe Lahl | BMU |
| Klaus Mittelbach | Federal Association of German Industry e. V. |
| Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum | Henkel KGaA |
| Hanns Pauli | DGB |
| Gerd Romanowski | German Chemical Industry Association e. V. |
| Wolfgang Stöffler | BMBF |
| Arnim von Gleich | University of Bremen |
| Hans-Jürgen Wiegand | Evonik Industries AG |
| Peter Wolfgardt | Ministry of the Environment,
Health and consumer protection - Bavaria |
In the second phase from 2009 to 2011 the commission included:
| Christian Calliess | Free University of Berlin , Faculty of Law |
| Patricia Cameron | BUND eV |
| MinDirig. Rainer Jansen | Federal Ministry of Education and Research |
| Michael Jung | Nanogate AG |
| Martin Kayser | BASF AG |
| Holger Krawinkel | Federal association of consumers |
| Peter Markus | Institute for Church and Society, Evangelical Academy Villigst |
| Thomas Müller-Kirschbaum | Henkel AG & Co. KGaA |
| Hanns Pauli | DBG federal board |
| Gerd Romanowski | Association of the Chemical Industry eV |
| Peter Rudolph (from March 31, 2010) | Ministry for the Environment, Health and Consumer Protection of the State of Brandenburg |
| Walter Töpner | Federal Ministry for Food, Agriculture and Consumer Protection |
| Armin von Gleich | University of Bremen, Department of Technology Assessment and Technology Development |
| Hans-Fürgen Wiegand | EVONIK Degussa GmbH |
| Klaus-Peter Wittern | Beiersdorf AG |
| Peter Wolfgart (until March 31, 2010) | Bavarian Ministry for Labor and Social Affairs |
Results of the first consultation phase 2006–2008
After a year of deliberations, the NanoKommission presented the results of its previous work on February 20, 2008 in a conference with 120 participants and discussed these interim results in the plenum. In November of the same year, the NanoKommission concluded the first phase of the deliberations and presented a final report.
In its final report on the pioneering possibilities of nanotechnology, working group 1 came to the conclusion that four areas of application in particular promise major relevant opportunities through nanoproducts: In addition to the much larger storage capacities compared to conventional batteries, there are positive application possibilities, especially in the area of energy efficiency and energy efficiency Environmental and health protection.
The second working group on "Risks and Safety Research" focused on the creation of a priority list for future research in the field of nanomaterials, in order to be able to determine the current state of knowledge and, above all, the most urgent need for information. In addition, the working group developed criteria for the minimal characterization of nanomaterials in order to be able to better compare the results of scientific investigations. Finally, WG 2 dealt with exemplary areas of application of nanomaterials and undertook initial risk assessments.
The third working group, which was supposed to develop guidelines for the responsible use of nanomaterials, established five principles for this purpose, which were primarily aimed at industry:
- Disclose responsibility and management (" good governance ")
- Transparency with regard to information, data and processes relevant to nanotechnology
- Willingness to enter into dialogue with interest groups
- Establish risk management
- Take responsibility in the value chain.
Oriented towards the three protection goals of health, environment and sustainability, these principles should be implemented through industry-specific guidelines.
Second consultation phase 2009–2011
Already at the conference on the interim balance of the first consultation phase it became clear that the time for a comprehensive assessment and weighing of the opportunities and risks of nanotechnology would not be sufficient, so the final report from November 2008 already contained an outlook on the future focus of the consultation, in particular was seen in the assessment of the knowledge gained by environmental experts.
In April 2009 the NanoKommission began its second working phase, the progress of which was presented to the public in a dialogue forum on February 17, 2010 and discussed with around 130 participants.
In the second working phase, the NanoKommission expanded and specified its fields of work and replaced the previous three working groups with a total of four themed groups with up to 32 members and an ad hoc working group. The first topic group on the "Principles Paper" was supposed to examine the practical implementation of the principles of responsible handling of nanomaterials developed in the first working phase. The second topic group on the area of "benefit and risk potential" should work out appropriate criteria for evaluating this potential. The third subject group focused on the existing "regulations" at national and European level as well as the question of a possible need for expansion or specification. In addition to the fourth thematic group, which was supposed to provide a "preliminary assessment of nanomaterials" on the basis of concern and relief criteria, an additional working group was set up to draft a discussion paper on the topic of "Sustainability of Nanotechnologies".
At the end of the second dialogue phase, the NanoKommission held a final conference on February 2, 2011.
The first thematic group created a cross-sector catalog with test criteria that cover the entire life cycle of nanomaterials from production through use to disposal. At the same time, the second thematic group drafted criteria for a preliminary risk assessment, especially for the toxicological and ecotoxicological assessment of nanomaterials, and suggested setting up an official advice center for this purpose. The third subject group "Regulation" only partially reached uniform recommendations, in particular with regard to the European REACH regulation and in the area of occupational safety , food law and the biocide regulation ; Issues relating to a product register and the labeling requirement were particularly controversial. Overall, the NanoKommission recommended that the Federal Government continue the dialogue with the various stakeholders and suggested holding a conference once a year to exchange information between those involved.
Individual evidence
- ↑ nano_schlussbericht_2011_bf.pdf (application / pdf object). (PDF; 3.5 MB) In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 26, 2011 ; Retrieved April 26, 2011 .
- ↑ BAuA, BfR, UBA: Nanotechnology: Health and environmental risks. (PDF; 412 kB) Research strategy. December 2007, archived from the original on April 19, 2011 ; Retrieved April 19, 2011 .
- ↑ The members of the three working groups are listed in nanokomm_schlussbericht_2008.pdf (application / pdf-Objekt). (PDF; 730 kB) In: bmu.de. P. 68ff. , archived from the original on April 21, 2011 ; Retrieved April 21, 2011 .
- ↑ So Wolf-Michael Catenhusen in his opening speech at the final conference of the first phase
- ^ NanoKommission: 1 year NanoKommission - interim balance in dialogue. (PDF; 1.3 MB) Result documentation of the interim balance. Archived from the original on April 20, 2011 ; Retrieved April 20, 2011 .
- ↑ Nanokommission: Responsible use of nanotechnologies. (PDF; 730 kB) Report and recommendations of the Nano Commission of the German Federal Government 2008. 2008, archived from the original on April 19, 2011 ; Retrieved April 19, 2011 .
- ↑ nanodialog08_results_ag1.pdf (application / pdf object). (PDF; 258 kB) In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 21, 2011 ; Retrieved April 21, 2011 .
- ↑ NanoDialog 2006-2008: Results of Working Group 2: "Risks and Security Research . (PDF; 388 kB) In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011 ; accessed on April 27, 2011 .
- ↑ NanoDialog 2006-2008: Results of Working Group 3: Principles for a responsible use of nanomaterials. (PDF; 121 kB) In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011 ; Retrieved April 27, 2011 .
- ↑ nanokommission_intermediate results_bf.pdf (application / pdf object). (PDF; 78 kB) In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 21, 2011 ; Retrieved April 21, 2011 .
- ↑ The members of these thematic groups are listed by name from p. 64 in the appendix to the final report of the NanoKommission, cf. Responsible use of nanotechnologies. (PDF; 3.5 MB) Report and recommendations of the NanoKommission 2011. In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 26, 2011 ; Retrieved April 26, 2011 .
- ^ Final conference of the NanoKommission. (PDF; 743 kB) 2nd dialogue phase 2009-2011. In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 27, 2011 ; Retrieved April 27, 2011 .
- ↑ Review of the regulation of nanomaterials and nanoproducts. (PDF; 552 kB) Topic group 3 of the NanoKommission. In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 28, 2011 ; Retrieved April 28, 2011 .
- ↑ nano_schlussbericht_2011_bf.pdf (application / pdf object). (PDF; 3.5 MB) In: bmu.de. Archived from the original on April 28, 2011 ; Retrieved April 28, 2011 .