Environmental issues in the planned release of genetically-engineered organisms.

Abstract

This paper examines issues concerned with the environmental release of genetically-engineered micro-organisms. Besides the obvious social and economic benefits from the technology, genetically-engineered micro-organisms can have considerable beneficial effects on environmental concerns, such as the degradation of pollutants and toxic chemical wastes, and less use of hazardous pesticides and chemicals. There may be uncertain negative effects arising from the technology. The hazards of the technology and possible policy approaches are discussed. It is concluded that, overall, the applications arising from this technology are likely to be benign, because its effects on the environment can largely be anticipated by an increase in scientific knowledge gained from field trials and greater experience with releases.