nanoscience and society - IAP/TU Wien

238 Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (German)
in food, consumer products, or cosmetic products. For
example, particle sizes have not been defined in the purity
criteria for the authorized food additives silicon dioxide
(E 551) and titanium dioxide (E 171).
See Also: Germany; Health and Environmental Risks
(Netherlands); Nanomaterials; Nanosilver; Nanotoxicology;
Titanium Dioxide; Zinc Oxide.
Further Readings
Cameron, Nigel and M. Ellen Mitchell, eds. Nanoscale: Issues
and Perspectives for the Nano Century. Hoboken, NJ:
Wiley-Interscience,2007.
Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (FI­
OSH), Germany. www.baua.de (cited July 2009).
Grassian, Vicki H., ed. Nanoscience and Nanotechnology:
Environmental and Health Impacts. Hoboken, NJ: John
Wiley & Sons, 2008.
Shatkin, Jo Anne. Nanotechnology: Health and Environmental
Risks (Perspectives in Nanotechnology). Boca Raton, FL:
CRC Press, 2008.
Ille C. Gebeshuber
Vienna University of Technology
Mathias Getzlaff
University of Dusseldorf
Federal Institute for Risk
Assessment (German)
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment
(Bundesinstitut fur Risikobewertung, or BfR) is an agency
under public law with the task of strengthening consumer
health protection, and heavily engaged in the area
of possible risks of nanotechnology in consumer-relevant
areas and in health. The Institute reports to the Federal
Ministry of Food, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection,
but is independent when it comes to its scientific
assessments and research. BfR has the statutory remit of
identifying potential risks to consumers from foods, substances
and products, of assessing them scientifically, and
of involving all the stakeholders in an active communication
and information process. In 2008, for example, more
than 6 million euros were earmarked for research.
In 2005, the Institute established an internal expert
group for nanotechnology. In 2006, the Institute was actively
involved in investigating respiratory problems suffered
by more than 100 consumers, caused by a sealing
spray called Magic Nano, which did not actually contain
any nanoparticles. Together with the Federal Office for
Health and S~fety and the Federal Environmental Agency,
a research strategy to identify the potential risks of nanotechnology
was published in 2007. Furthermore, BfR is
active in the scientific bodies that deal with the regulation
of nanotechnology at a national or European level.
BfR has also conducted and funded a series of dialogue
and research activities on the risks of nanotechnology.
In order to determine how nanotechnology is perceived
by the German population, one BfR project conducted
research into the public perceptions of nanotechnology
by means of a representative population survey, coupled
with a qualitative psychological study. Parallel to this,
BfR conducted a consumer conference, an expert survey
and a media analysis of the subject. This was followed
by consumer- and product-orientated studies on the
risk perception and the framing of nanotechnology in
spontaneous online discussions (in online forums and
weblogs), as opposed to organized online dialogues.
All these activities share the common goal of providing
orientation and, by extension, maintaining the
ability of society to respond in an informed manner to
a new, complex technology and guaranteeing the safe,
responsible handling of nanotechnology and its products.
BfR research activities are also designed to identify
risks or risk areas that are present in the public perception
in a manifest, latent or potential manner, and to
describe factors that impact risk communication in this
new area. The Institute's research and dialogue activities
play an important role in Germany's overall strategy
for dealing with the health, environmental, and safety
issues and the ethical, legal, and societal implications of
nanotechnology.
See Also: Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and
Health (Germany); Germany; Magic Nano; Nano Initiative­
Action Plan 2010 (Germany).
Further Readings
Bundesinstitut fur Risikobewertung (BfR). http://www.bfr
.bund.de/cd/template/index3n (cited August 2009).
Garreau, J. Radical Evolution. New York: Doubleday, 2004.
Christopher Coenen
Karlsruhe Institute of Technology