The Effect of Uncertainty on the Regulation of Health and Safety in the Development of Nanotechnology - Research Proposal Example

NT3008: HSEM Dissertation Proposal Student Name Course Health, Safety and Environmental Management You must complete all three sections to this form: Part 1: The Proposal (not to exceed 2,500 words, excluding references) Part 2: Ethics Checklist Part 3: Risk Assessment (if carrying out fieldwork, travel or lone working) Part 1: The Proposal 1. Proposed Dissertation Title Topic: Nanotechnology Provisional title: The effect of uncertainty on the regulation of health and sfety in the development of Nanotechnology. Principle research question: With the research in Nanotechnology being in existence for over a decade and a half, does the potential lack of clear use affect the development of the environmental health and safety of the use of technology? 2. Research Rationale The introduction of Nanotechnology research since 2000 has attracted a lot of controversies since its inception. Most of the proponents of the technology believe that the implication of this kind of research would revolutionise the activities around human survival (Ramsden, 2011). With a wide array of applications that include clothing for sports, sport material energy generation and curative medicine, the technology is seen as the new solution to the problems that humans face in the various fields that it can be applied. The emission of Nano-particles into the environment however remains a controversial issue. This is majorly due to the fact that the research into this field has not been commercially applied into the production of any services and products that is effectively commercially applied in the lives of humans (Poole & Owens, 2003). As a result, regulation into the field has led to agencies that should produce specific regulation in a disarray and lack of clear distinct policies that can govern the processes and use of this kind of research. However, the research into the use of Nanotechnology continues without clear borders on the impact of the safety and health in the environment in the United States. 3. Aims and objectives This dissertation will look into the main challenges into the process of development of Nanotechnology in the American context. The work believes that just as any form of research, it is bound to have both adverse effects and risk implications to the environment. As such the main factor that hinders the development of the legislation that will protect it from causing harm need to be established. With over a decade in operation, it is expected that regulations into the subject had been clearly outlines and developed. However, this has not been the case. It is expected that the research in Nano-technology is to generate a wide array of commercial exploitations. Industries are expected to revolutionise their business models to generate products that comply with this kind of technology. This has not been the case. This paper will seek to unveil the existence of any form of barriers to the effective legislation of specific regulations that would help advance the health and safety of the environment. 4. A Brief Literature Review Much of the research into the use of Nano-technology has been done. The research ranges from the implications of the success of the technology to the health hazards that the technology poses to humans in the environment. In Karn, Kuiken, & Otto (2009), potential benefits of the work on Nano-technology and the risks of the same are given. In this work, the study of the chemical processes and the actions that are used in the production of Nano-technologigal devices is reviewed. It also presents the work of Nano-technology in the process of environmental cleanup. The work finds that despite the major efforts of the advancement in the technology to clean up the environment various aspects still needed to be cleared up. This includes the need to protect the environment from the potential effects of the pollution from Nano-particles that will be easily distributed in the environment. The cost of cleaning up the large scale wastes that are produced by the current production of the technology and the effect on the environment is viewed as the most common challenge that affects the use of the current technology in any field. With a large overhead cost currently allocated to the environmental protection agency its challenging to reduce the impact of the current form of technology. For instance the disposal of electronic wastes and other forms of wastes that result from the development of technology requires the EPA to have a budget that is over $ 1 billion in remediation projects alone. The findings indicate that while the use of Nano-remediation is a possible method of reducing the effects of having large scale waste disposal, the overall effects on the environment still need a high scale of evaluation. The evaluation will include the determination of the Nano-particles that the industries will emit and the potential implications on the population of a given environment. The study still remains short of the conclusion that the introduction of Nano-technology on the population would be either catastrophic or beneficial to the overall population. Bregin and Carothers (2006) also examine the process of development of Nano-technology. The study adopts the fact that the government is apparently governing a unique and uncertain field using existing laws. This process is not acceptable as the findings of this discussion point to the fact that the existing laws do not properly cover all the environmental health and safety issues raised in the use of Nano-technology. As a means of protecting the living systems from the dangerous effects of substances that can be caused by newly engineered systems, the toxic substance control act was adopted into law. This new regulation provides the environmental protection agency with the power to regulate the use of such substances. The effect of the environmental protection agency in the political spheres however minimal allows it to weigh in on issues that touch on the safety and health of the environment. The unclear outcome of the advancement of the Nano-technology can therefore be seen as the source of lack of the ability to effect legislation to deal with the impacts of the Nano-technology in the environment. In Europe, the organization on Nano-technology advices that the development of the technology has the potential of increasing industrial competiveness and should be supported (Europa.eu. 2015).). This body therefore lobbies for extensively minimal legislation on the use and advancement on the Nano technology. The requirements of this body however provide the fact that Nano technology should be advanced without the need to look into its influence. From this look into Nano technology, it is clear that the consumption of Nano technology has the potential benefits of the creating effects in the environment. The potential environmental effects include the ability of the particles to be easily consumed by persons. 5. Element of Originality Much of the work on the effectiveness on the Nano technology is based on the fact that it is supposed to transform human life. Apart from the transformation of human life, it is essential that the Nano technology is supposed to generate a high level of comfort to the population. Policy makers have the responsibility of making the effect of the Nano technology their priority. Much of the work that focuses on Nanotechnology is given without the effect on the population. As such is difficult for the public to determine the effects of the population that is caused by the production and use of the technology. This work will produce the fact that the effect of the use of technology requires a high level of technology regulation. It will outline the major environmental factors that are associated with the use of Nano technology and outline the rules that are needed for the safety of the environment and the population that lives within it. 6. Proposed Programme of Work The economic impact of the Nano technology is a good place to start. This work will reveal the required impacts of the advancement in Nano technology with a specific aim in advancing the need to determine its effects. The first work will examine a majority of the documents that are within the study of the economic impacts of the Nanotechnology to reveal whether there is a technological impact on the resistance for the specific regulation for the technology. The second work will evaluate the databases for the existences of any work that talks about the discordance to the Nano technology within the environmental context. The overall intention is to discover the fact that is there any form of resistance that is forced against the development of the regulation that sees the political legislation of rules to cover the research in Nano technology. 7. Facilities, Equipment and Permissions / Authorisations This research will entail the look into secondary material. The look into secondary material would entail the permission of the publishers. Without such permission, plagiarism is likely to be determined in the work. These permissions also imply the fact that the terms and conditions of the use of the documents have to be respected. 8. References Breggin, L. K., & Carothers, L. (2006). Governing uncertainty: the Nanotechnology environmental, health, and safety challenge. Colum. J. Envtl. L., 31, 285. Europa.eu. (2015). Nanotechnology. Europaeu. Retrieved 29 November, 2015, from http://ec.europa.eu/health/Nanotechnology/policy/index_en.htm Karn, B., Kuiken, T., & Otto, M. (2009). Nanotechnology and in situ remediation: a review of the benefits and potential risks. Environmental health perspectives, 1823-1831. Poole, C. P., & Owens, F. J. (2003). Introduction to Nanotechnology: Selected topics. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley. Ramsden, J. (2011). Nanotechnology: An introduction. Norwich, N.Y: William Andrew. Part 2: Ethics Checklist All activities - undergraduate, postgraduate, research, commercial, knowledge transfer, evaluation, audit or teaching and learning - need ethical consideration. This checklist will identify whether a project requires an application for ethics approval, and to which committee it should be referred to. No field work, experimentation or work with participants can start until approval is granted. The questions should be completed in consultation with the supervisor of the proposed project. Principal Investigators, or supervisors/Director of Studies, are responsible for ensuring that all activities fall within the principles set down in the University Code of Conduct for Research and theUniversity Ethical Principles for Teaching, Research, Knowledge Transfer, Consultancy and Related Activities. They are also responsible for exercising appropriate professional judgment in undertaking this review and evaluating the activity according to the criteria laid down in this checklist. If, on completion of the checklist: any question is answered ‘Yes’, then an application for ethical approval is required:- For undergraduate and postgraduate taught projects, students should in the first instance discuss the project and ethical issues with their supervisor. Unless the project is considered to be ethically complex or of a sensitive nature (e.g. involves vulnerable populations) submission for ethical approval should be sought through the relevant School Ethics Committee or process. all questions are answered ‘No’ and you (the Principal Investigator) are not concerned with the ethical nature of the activity, then it is unnecessary to apply for ethical approval. However, it is still incumbent on you to observe the University’s Ethical Principles in the conduct of the activity and to record that: a review has taken place of the ethical aspects of the activity; and that either no ethical issues have been identified or ethical issues have been identified but that these have been addressed satisfactorily. 1 Project 1.1 Project Title 1.2 Project type PG taught UG taught 1.3 Short description in layman's terms [no acronyms or jargon] 1.4 Dates Start End 1.5 School of ….. Forensic and Applied Sciences 1.6 Project supervisor To be confirmed following submission of the proposal for the Friday 30th October deadline. 1.7Student Read any associated procedures and guidance or follow any associated checklist link, and delete, ‘Yes’ or ‘No’, for each characteristic. If you respond ‘No’, then in your judgment you believe that the characteristic is irrelevant to the activity. You may only tick ‘No’ to the main question (i.e. A, B, etc) where none of the statements in that section apply to your activity. If you are unsure whether to answer ‘Yes’ or ‘No’ to a question, you should answer ‘Yes’ and providedetails for discussion with your supervisor. A) Does the activity involve human participants, data or material e.g. as research participants including the use of their data or using human tissue/fluid/DNA samples? Yes/No If Yes, and Where the activity involves any external organisation for which separate and specific ethics clearance is required (e.g. NHS; school; any criminal justice agencies including the Police, Crown Prosecution Service, Prison Service, Probation Service or successor organisation)seek and gain external ethics before submitting for ethical approval. Submission can be just the external organisation ethics application paperwork. Where the activity involves the use of human tissue / DNA samples or body fluidseek and gain relevant external ethics before submitting for ethical approval. Submission can be just the external organisation ethics application paperwork (e.g. Brain Tissue North West). For all other activities involving human participants, their data or materials*, provide detailsand discuss with your supervisor – completion of further detailed ethical approval documentation maybe required.Where an activity involves collecting, obtaining, accessing, viewing, holding or any other kind of processing of personal data please refer to UCLan Data Protection Guidance/Checklist * such as :- requiring participants to give informed consent; potential imbalance of power and authority which might compromised the validity of participants’ consent; researchers and/or participants in the potential disclosure of any information relating to illegal activities; the observation of illegal activities; or the possession, viewing or storage of any material (whether in hard copy or electronic format) which may be illegal potential risk arising of physical, social, emotional or psychological harm, distress or discomfort to the researchers or participants; deception of the participant be necessary during the activity; aim to shock or offend (e.g. art) invasion of privacy or access to confidential information about people without their permission excavation and study of human remains B) Does the activity involve isolation and culture of micro-organisms, or genetically modified micro-organism? Yes/No If so, process via UCLan Biological Safety Committee before submitting to the relevant e-Ethics Committee C) Does the activity involve scientific procedures being applied to a vertebrate animal (other than humans) or cephalopods? Yes/No If so, discuss with your supervisor prior to submission– completion of further detailed ethical approval documentation maybe required. D) Does the activity involve collection of rare plants or endangered species? Yes/No If so, discuss with your supervisor prior to submission– completion of further detailed ethical approval documentation maybe required. E) Does activity relate to military/defence/weapons or the Defence industry, including excavation of battlefields, military installations, etc(i.e. site with unexploded bomb)? Yes/No If so please submit this checklist together with outline details of the activity / UCLan’s role F) Are there any potential other ethical and political concerns? e.g. Are you aware of any potential ethical concerns or political concerns that may arise from either the conduct or dissemination of this activity, e.g. unethical practices of companies funding this research; results of research being used for political gain by others; potential for liability to the University from your research? ethical concerns about collaborator company / organisation, e.g. its product has a harmful effect on humans, animals or the environment;  it has a record of supporting repressive regimes; does it have ethical practices for its workers and for the safe disposal of products? Yes/No If so please submit this checklist together with outline details of the activity / UCLan’s role Where an activity involves fieldwork, travel (e.g. overseas) or lone working please complete Risk Assessment documentation in part 3 of the proposal. Where Health and Safety clearance is a requirement of the activity (e.g. lab work) please check all relevant COSHH forms and/or Safety clearance/approval are in place PART 3: RISK ASSESSMENT FORM Risk Assessment For Assessment Undertaken By Assessment Reviewed Service / School: Forensic and Applied Sciences Student Name: Name: Location of Activity: Date: Date: Activity: Signed by Dean of School / Director of Service or their nominee: REF: Date: List significant hazards here: List groups of people who are at risk: List existing controls, or refer to safety procedures etc. For risks, which are not adequately controlled, list the action needed. Remaining level of risk: H,M or L. Read More

In Karn, Kuiken, & Otto (2009), potential benefits of the work on Nano-technology and the risks of the same are given. In this work, the study of the chemical processes and the actions that are used in the production of Nano-technologigal devices is reviewed. It also presents the work of Nano-technology in the process of environmental cleanup. The work finds that despite the major efforts of the advancement in the technology to clean up the environment various aspects still needed to be cleared up.

This includes the need to protect the environment from the potential effects of the pollution from Nano-particles that will be easily distributed in the environment. The cost of cleaning up the large scale wastes that are produced by the current production of the technology and the effect on the environment is viewed as the most common challenge that affects the use of the current technology in any field. With a large overhead cost currently allocated to the environmental protection agency its challenging to reduce the impact of the current form of technology.

For instance the disposal of electronic wastes and other forms of wastes that result from the development of technology requires the EPA to have a budget that is over $ 1 billion in remediation projects alone. The findings indicate that while the use of Nano-remediation is a possible method of reducing the effects of having large scale waste disposal, the overall effects on the environment still need a high scale of evaluation. The evaluation will include the determination of the Nano-particles that the industries will emit and the potential implications on the population of a given environment.

The study still remains short of the conclusion that the introduction of Nano-technology on the population would be either catastrophic or beneficial to the overall population. Bregin and Carothers (2006) also examine the process of development of Nano-technology. The study adopts the fact that the government is apparently governing a unique and uncertain field using existing laws. This process is not acceptable as the findings of this discussion point to the fact that the existing laws do not properly cover all the environmental health and safety issues raised in the use of Nano-technology.

As a means of protecting the living systems from the dangerous effects of substances that can be caused by newly engineered systems, the toxic substance control act was adopted into law. This new regulation provides the environmental protection agency with the power to regulate the use of such substances. The effect of the environmental protection agency in the political spheres however minimal allows it to weigh in on issues that touch on the safety and health of the environment. The unclear outcome of the advancement of the Nano-technology can therefore be seen as the source of lack of the ability to effect legislation to deal with the impacts of the Nano-technology in the environment.

In Europe, the organization on Nano-technology advices that the development of the technology has the potential of increasing industrial competiveness and should be supported (Europa.eu. 2015).). This body therefore lobbies for extensively minimal legislation on the use and advancement on the Nano technology. The requirements of this body however provide the fact that Nano technology should be advanced without the need to look into its influence. From this look into Nano technology, it is clear that the consumption of Nano technology has the potential benefits of the creating effects in the environment.

The potential environmental effects include the ability of the particles to be easily consumed by persons. 5. Element of Originality Much of the work on the effectiveness on the Nano technology is based on the fact that it is supposed to transform human life. Apart from the transformation of human life, it is essential that the Nano technology is supposed to generate a high level of comfort to the population.

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