ABSTRACT
A number of parties have converged on the idea of integrating life cycle thinking and risk analysis as a path forward for evaluating nanotechnology risks. Several alternative frameworks have been proposed, and it is clear that life cycle thinking is an important attribute of substance and technology management amid uncertainty. Broadly considered, there is nothing specific to nanotechnology about the frameworks discussed in this chapter. Simply, they represent current thinking and may become broadly applicable for nanotechnology because no existing frameworks are adequate to address the breadth of concerns about impacts on health and the environment.
