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Environmental impacts of GE

A field of GE soy in North Dakota stretches for miles. Along with Argentina, the US accounts for 90 per cent of GMOs in the world.

A field of GE soy in North Dakota (US) stretches for miles.

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GE organisms can reproduce and interbreed with naturally occurring organisms, thereby spreading to new environments and future generations in unpredictable and uncontrollable ways.

Far reaching consequences

Inadequate testing and regulatory controls mean that the potentially harmful effects of GE organisms will not be prevented and may only be discovered when it is too late.

Many ecologists believe that the release of GE organisms could have far reaching consequences in much the same way that non-native species, once released, have invaded and threatened our natural heritage.

Such effects may only emerge after several generations. Persistent GE crops can cross with related weeds to become herbicide resistant ‘superweeds’. In North America weeds with multiple resistance are now well established.

Living pollution

Traditionally, pollution is thought to break down and decrease over time. However, GE crops are a form of living pollution that can reproduce and spread. This poses a serious and potentially irreversible threat to the environment. When cross-pollination occurs, this GE pollution cannot simply be recalled or cleaned up.

Little peer-reviewed work has been carried out in Australia on the impacts of GE on Australian flora and fauna, on long-term ecological consequences and impacts of GE on soils and soil health.

Regulatory failure

The Office of the Gene Technology Regulator (OGTR) has failed to require essential environmental research, failed to take a precautionary approach and has interpreted its legal responsibilities (health and environment) in a narrow fashion. The OGTR does not consider it necessary to assess the impacts of herbicides, changed herbicide regimes, altered farming practices and the impacts of GE on agricultural cropping areas.

For these reasons, GE organisms must not be released into the environment. They pose unacceptable risks to ecosystems and have the potential to threaten biodiversity and wildlife.

Environmental impacts

There are a variety of environmental concerns about the impacts of GE crops, including:

  • Changed farming practices, such as increased herbicide use;
  • Expansion of farming into previously non-agricultural areas;
  • Impacts on biodiversity;
  • Unpredictable long term ecological and evolutionary impacts;
  • Genetic pollution and contamination; and
  • Impacts on soils and soil micro-organisms.