The Role of Standardisation in the Shaping of a Vision for Nanotechnology

International audienceNanotechnologies are known as emerging technologies. In contrast to this there are already products on the market that claim to incorporate these technologies. This has contributed to the growing interest in the regulation of this field. In this paper, we first introduce the question of regulation in nanotechnologies, then describe the standardisation process and ISO more specifically. This introduction is followed by the main point of the article: we show the specific role that the ISO TC 229 plays in the beginning of the shaping of a collective vision for nanotechnologies. We point to the organisation and re-organisation of TC 229 that allows actors to build a collective representation of the evolving field and build legitimacy at the global level. We argue that beyond the production of standards, this aspect is central in an emerging field that will impact regulators as they design new rules

Risk, responsibility, rights, regulation and representation in the value chain of nano-products

This chapter reports on a research project which addresses one key question and a number of sub-questions. The key question is, what are the salient dimensions of the commercialisation and governance of nano-enabled products, covering regulation, risks, responsibilities, consumer rights, and representations to the consumer? The sub-question, and the particular focus of this paper is, how are nano-enabled products destined for consumer markets labelled and marketed? Within this more specifically, how do producers perceive and strategically target consumers, and communicate with them (or not) about the nano-component of their products? Then, does the way that consumers are conceived of and understood by different actors along the value chain change in terms of how the product is marketed? Finally, what are the ethical, governance and regulatory implications of the answers to these questions? The chapter builds on an ongoing collaborative project between SIFO (Norway's National Institute for Consumer Research) and the Manchester Institute of Innovation Research at Manchester Business School, UK. The work is a comparison of ethical aspects in the marketing of nanoproducts in Norway and the UK. This chapter provides preliminary findings and some reflections based on empirical material; an analysis of web-based and other communications, interviews along the value chain, i.e. with producers, importers , retailers and other 'intermediaries'; and eight group discussions across the two countries focussing on cosmetics and textiles. © 2009 The authors and IOS Press. All rights reserved

Pursuing More Sustainable Consumption by Analyzing Household Metabolism in European Countries and Cities

Bringing about more sustainable consumption patterns is an important challenge for society and science. In this article the concept of household metabolism is applied to analyzing consumption patterns and to identifying possibilities for the development of sustainable household consumption patterns. Household metabolism is determined in terms of total energy requirements, including both direct and indirect energy requirements, using a hybrid method. This method enables us to evaluate various determinants of the environmental load of consumption consistently at several levels—the national level, the local level, and the household level. The average annual energy requirement of households varies considerably between the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, Norway, and Sweden, as well as within these countries. The average expenditure level per household explains a large part of the observed variations. Differences between these countries are also related to the efficiency of the production sectors and to the energy supply system. The consumption categories of food, transport, and recreation show the largest contributions to the environmental load. A comparison of consumer groups with different household characteristics shows remarkable differences in the division of spending over the consumption categories. Thus, analyses of different types of households are important for providing a basis for options to induce decreases of the environmental load of household consumption. At the city level, options for change are provided by an analysis of the city infrastructure, which determines a large part of the direct energy use by households (for transport and heating). At the national level, energy efficiency in production and in electricity generation is an important trigger for decreasing household energy requirements.

Forbrukerperspektiv på standardisering av varer og tjenester

Nummer: 2-200

Forbrukernes rolle i miljøpolitiske suksesser. Fosfatforbudet i tøyvaskemidler. Husmoraksjonen i Mjøsområdet

Dette er den første av flere delrapporter i prosjektet Forbrukernes roller i miljøpolitiske suksesser. Vi har her tatt for oss fremveksten av fosfatforbudet i tøyvaskemidler som vi i dag har i Norge. Forbudet ble innført i forskrift fastsatt av Miljøverndepartementet. Forskriften trådte i kraft 1. februar 1990. Vi har arbeidet frem en firefeltstabell som modell for forbrukerinnflytelse i miljøspørsmål. Den består av nivåene mikro og makro, og arenaene marked og politikk. Et interessant trekk ved det caset vi har tatt for oss her, er hvor raskt vaskemiddel- eller husmoraksjonen ble plukket opp av de besluttende politiske organer

Blyfri bensin. Forbrukernes rolle i utfasingen av blyholdig bensin

Vi har her tatt for oss utviklingen frem mot lanseringen av blyfri bensin, og den påfølgende utfasingen av blyholdig bensin. Vårt fokus har vært på forbrukernes rolle i denne prosessen. Dette er den fjerde og siste delen av prosjektet ”Forbrukernes rolle i miljøpolitiske suksesser”. Prosjektet er finansiert av Norges Forskningsråd under Program for bærekraftig produksjon og forbruk. Idéen om å tilsette bly til bensinen, oppstod i England på 1920-tallet. Formålet var å heve det såkalte oktantallet til bensinblandingen. Det er et mål på bensinblandingens evne til å motstå banking, forårsaket av ujevn forbrenning i sylinderen. Økningen av oktantallet åpnet for nye motorer som øket effektiviteten, og senket forbruket av drivstoff

Forbrukernes rolle i miljøpolitiske suksesser. Fosfatforbudet i tøyvaskemidler. Husmoraksjonen i Mjøsområdet

Dette er den første av flere delrapporter i prosjektet Forbrukernes roller i miljøpolitiske suksesser. Vi har her tatt for oss fremveksten av fosfatforbudet i tøyvaskemidler som vi i dag har i Norge. Forbudet ble innført i forskrift fastsatt av Miljøverndepartementet. Forskriften trådte i kraft 1. februar 1990. Vi har arbeidet frem en firefeltstabell som modell for forbrukerinnflytelse i miljøspørsmål. Den består av nivåene mikro og makro, og arenaene marked og politikk. Et interessant trekk ved det caset vi har tatt for oss her, er hvor raskt vaskemiddel- eller husmoraksjonen ble plukket opp av de besluttende politiske organer