Genetically modified plants are contaminating large areas of the planet knowing no boundaries or controls, and putting Earth’s biodiversity at serious risk. The affirmation comes from the German non-profit association Testbiotech in a recent report entitled Transgene Escape – The Global Atlas of the Uncontrolled Spread of Genetically Engineered Plants.
The study reveals that in countries where Genetically Modified Organisms are cultivated – experimentally for brief periods, even in the past – contamination is spreading unabashed. Moreover, the absences of controls highlighted by the NGO is exposing the environment to an increasing number of unknown risk factors. In this light, some recommend that a precautionary ban be levied.
The highest levels of contamination were found in the USA, Canada, Japan, Australia, some areas of Central America, and China. Even Europe has not been immune, excluding Italy, which still stands out for its total ban on GMOs.
In the areas monitored, widespread GMO alterations were found in corn, rice, cotton and rapeseed, transmitting to natural cultivations some of laboratory-induced changes.
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