£591,000 has been committed in the current financial year for research into the environmental implications of nanomaterials, but as yet departmental budgets for future years have not yet been decided, Conservative environment minister James Paice told Labour MP Stephen Hepburn in a series of replies on nanotechnology.

Mr Paice added “We need to understand and manage any potential risks to the environment and maximise the environmental benefits which nanotechnologies may offer. DEFRA's research and development budget includes funds specifically for research into the environmental impacts of nanomaterials.”

The minister stressed that “nanoscience has the potential to drive positive developments across many sectors of the agriculture and environment agenda.” He said DEFRA will continue its work to “promote the responsible development and safe use of nanotechnologies by prioritising research into those nanomaterials which pose a higher potential risk to the environment, in particular those which are currently available or close to the market.”

Collaboration in national and global initiatives to develop tools to detect nanomaterials in the environment and assess their effects will also continue.

Hansard, 17 June: Column 512W

A talk on nanomaterials in remediation and the environment will take place at Brownfield Briefing’s Contaminated Land and Brownfield Remediation conference on 5 October