Regulating beyond nanotechnology do nano-specific problems require nano-specific solutions?

As has been the case with many new technologies, the introduction of nanotechnology creates the potential for positive as well as negative implications for health, the environment and society. The possibility of new technological capabilities also reveals gaps and uncertainties in existing regulatory structures. But while problems arising with new technologies tend to be described in technological terms (for example, we might speak of nano-hazards and nano-divides), responding exclusively in technological terms may not be helpful in the longer term. Solutions to technological elements of a broader problem are distorting and laws drafted in technological terms tend to become obsolete as the technology concerned continues to evolve. This paper considers means by which technologies such as nanotechnology can be subjected to appropriate regulation in a way that remains effective in the face of ongoing technological developments.