Paul Wright, an associate professor and the coordinator of Nanosafe Australia at RMIT University in Melbourne, who is also conducting government-funded research into the safety of nanoparticles used in sunscreens, says recent calls to place warning labels on nanotechnology-based sunscreens are ill advised. According to Wright, \u201cSunscreens are an important public health issue for Australians, and deserve balanced reporting. This involves weighing up the known risk of skin damage from excessive ultraviolet (UV) light exposure with a perceived risk of using nano sunscreens.\u201d Wright worries that misinformation may stop parents and teachers from using the broadest UV protective sunscreens, which he says children need, as severe sunburn in children is a major risk factor for developing melanoma as an adult. The most effective UV blockers, he said, are those sunscreens that contain the metal oxides zinc oxide and titanium dioxide. \u201cRecently,\u201d Wright says, \u201cthere have been calls from NGOs and consumer groups for the mandatory labelling of products containing engineered nanoparticles, especially sunscreens. This is a complex issue, as the importance of providing consumers with appropriate labelling information to guide their purchasing decisions is being subverted by the current potential for misinformation and misuse of any type of nano-labelling.\u201d A rushed labeling regime, in the current climate, he argues, would be misinterpreted by consumers as meaning the product contains a hazard. \u201cAs Australia has the highest incidence of skin cancer, it is crucial that people do not stop using the most protective sunscreens because of misinformation, or misunderstanding the nano label issue,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
http:\/\/www.cosmosmagazine.com\/node\/4732\/full<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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