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(151) Integrating the risks of the agricultural use of transgenic plants into Life Cycle Impact Assessment - new methodological developments. Renner, Isa1, Kloepffer, Walter1, Tappeser, Beatrix2, 1 2 ABSTRACT- In the study Life Cycle Assessment of genetically modified products as a basis for the comprehensive assessment of potential environmental impact the risks of the release of genetically modified organisms were included in Life Cycle Assessment for the first time. This was done by adding a qualitative risk assessment to quantitative Life Cycle Impact Assessment. Because this was not a very satisfying method, the Austrian Federal Environment Agency commissioned a follow up study for the further methodological development of Life Cycle Impact Assessment of the risks of genetic engineering. This development was based on the methodology for Life Cycle Impact Assessment as defined in EN/ISO 14042. There are two principal possibilities to integrate the risks of the release of genetically modified organisms. 1. The classification of the possible impacts of the genetical modification on human health and the environment to existing Life Cycle Impact categories and the attempt of the quantification within an existing characterisation method. 2. Creating a new impact category Risks of Genetically Modified Cropping Plants. Possible categories for the first option are the impact categories human toxicity, ecotoxicity and land use (appropriation of environmental space). The characterisation models for human toxicity and ecotocicity are based on exposure and effect factors. The development of suitable effect factors for the risks of genetically modified organisms appeared not manageable. Therefore the second approach was chosen. The new impact category Genetically Modified Organisms shall represent the risks of the release of genetically modified cropping plants by agricultural cultivation and shall allow to compare different genetically modified cropping plants. The modelling of chararacterisation factors and first examples will be presented. Key words: Life Cycle Impact Assessment, Genetically modified organisms, risk, agriculture |
