CFA have participated in the development of an international standard designed for people who may not be researchers or manufacturers of products using nanotechnology, but who none-the-less need to be familiar with the terms and definitions used in the field.
CFA representative Elaine Attwood attended the recent interim meeting of ISO TC 229 Nanotechnologies JWG1 held in Tokyo in May. The secretary, Brian Haydon announced the ISO Technical Report (TR 18401) Nanotechnologies – Plain language explanation of selected terms was published on 31st May, 2017.
The idea for this document was put up by Allan Bent of the UK, who led the project until his untimely death 2 years ago. The project group was then taken over and ably dealt with by Sue Mc Ginty, also from the UK. The project attracted a lot of interest within the ISO and it is hoped that people will take the opportunity to use the Technical Report, the first of its kind, to familiarise themselves with the terminology. The Technical Report will be reviewed in three years.
The document is one of the ISO/IEC80004 Nanotechnology vocabulary series of standards.
Elaine is the CFA representative on the Standards Australia Technical Committee NT-001 Nanotechnology, the Australian mirror committee to ISO TC 229. She also participates on ISO TC 229 JWG 1 Terminology and nomenclature and is an expert representing consumers on two Task Groups Consumer and societal dimensions of nanotechnology and Nanotechnologies and sustainability.
CFA has representatives on over 50 Standards Australia Technical Committees as part of the CFA Standards Project; if you are interested in finding out more about the Project and making the consumer voice heard as a volunteer CFA Standards Representative please contact the Standards Coordinator standards@consumeraction.org.au