Neuralink, a company specializing in brain implants, incurred a fine for breaching U.S. Department of Transportation regulations pertaining to the handling of hazardous materials, as revealed by federal agency documents.
Reuters reported that during evaluations of Neuralink’s facilities in Texas and California in February 2023, DOT inspectors discovered the company hadn’t registered as a transporter of hazardous materials, as indicated by agency records.
The inspection also uncovered incorrect packaging of hazardous waste, including the flammable solvent Xylene. Xylene exposure can lead to symptoms like headaches, dizziness, confusion, impaired muscle coordination, and in severe cases, death, as per the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Neuralink was fined a total of $2,480 by the DOT. This amount was reduced from the initial assessment after the company committed to rectifying the issues, according to the records.
A representative from the Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration, the DOT branch that conducted the Neuralink investigation, confirmed the infractions and the fine, stating that the investigation is now concluded.
The records, however, don’t specify the reasons for Neuralink’s transportation of hazardous materials or if any damage resulted from these violations.
Last year, Neuralink received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to commence its inaugural human trial, a significant achievement for the startup. In June, Reuters valued the company at around $5 billion, based on private stock trades.
Last September, Neuralink announced its trial will assess the safety of its implant in enabling individuals with paralysis to control external devices using their thoughts. The study involves a Neuralink-developed robot surgically implanting the device’s ultra-fine threads in participants’ brains.
According to the new records reviewed by Reuters, the DOT found no evidence of Neuralink shipping any materials containing infectious substances.
