Documento de contexto sobre biología sintética
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La biología sintética (el esfuerzo por crear organismos vivos artificiales) debe autorregularse, afirman científicos en una reunión en Berkeley. Las organizaciones de la sociedad civil disienten rotundamente.
"Si verdaderamente los biólogos están en el umbral de sintetizar nuevas formas de vida, las posibilidades de abuso o desastre involuntario podrían ser enormes." Nature, octubre de 2004.
World Council of Churches (WCC) Demands Action to Stop Terminator Seeds
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The General Secretary of the World Council of Churches issued a strong condemnation of Terminator seeds and called on churches and ecumenical partners to take action to stop the technology. The Rev. Dr. Samuel Kobia warned that sterile seed technology would increase economic injustice all over the world.
Retirada de producto nanotecnológico del mercado enfatiza la necesidad de una moratoria
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Se fortalece el llamado del Grupo ETC a una moratoria global sobre investigación de nanotecnología en laboratorios y para retirar del mercado productos que contengan nanopartículas diseñadas, especialmente aquellos que se ingieren, se aplican en el cuerpo o se liberan al ambiente. Es más urgente ahora actuar en ese sentido, después de que las autoridades alemanas retiraron del mercado el limpiador de baños "Magic Nano" -un producto supuestamente nanotecnológico. A fines de marzo al menos 77 personas reportaron problemas respiratorios a después de utilizar el producto. Seis de ellas fueron hospitalizadas y luego dadas de alta tan pronto mejoraron su condición respiratoria. La compañía que vende "Magic Nano" es Kleinmann GmbH, una subsidiaria alemana de Illinois Tool Works (una corporación en el rango de las de Fortune 200, con 650 subsidiarias en 45 países y 49 mil empleados). Kleinmann vende "Magic Nano" en botellas de spray y de aerosol. Se retiraron del mercado solamente los aerosoles. No existe información sobre el compuesto químico nanométrico que usa el producto, ni sobre el problema que pudieran causar las nano partículas o su interacción con los gases que hacen funcionar los aerosoles.
Nanotech Product Recall Underscores Need for Nanotech Moratorium: Is the Magic Gone?
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ETC Group renewed its 2003 call for a global moratorium on nanotech lab research and a recall of consumer products containing engineered nanoparticles. There is particular urgency for those products that are ingested, applied to the body or released in the environment. The need for action is underscored following the decision by German authorities to recall a nanotech bathroom cleaner, "Magic Nano" - purportedly a product of nanotechnology. At least 77 people reported respiratory problems in late March after using the product. Six people were hospitalized but later released when their respiratory distress faded. The company marketing "Magic Nano" is Kleinmann GmbH, a German subsidiary of Illinois Tool Works (a US Fortune 200 corporation with 650 subsidiaries in 45 countries and 49,000 employees). Kleinmann sells "Magic Nano" in a spray pump and as an aerosol spray. The recall only applies to the aerosol spray. There is no information available regarding the nano chemical compound used, nor whether the problem lies with the nanoparticles or with the interaction between the particles and the conventional aerosol propellant.
UN upholds Moratorium on Terminator Seed Technology
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It's official. Governments at the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) have unanimously upheld the international de facto moratorium on Terminator technology - plants that are genetically engineered to produce sterile seeds at harvest. The 8th meeting of the CBD ended today in Curitiba, Brazil.
"The CBD has soundly rejected the efforts of Canada, Australia and New Zealand - supported by the US government and the biotechnology industry - to undermine the moratorium on suicide seeds," said Maria Jose Guazzelli of Centro Ecologico, a Brazil-based agro-ecological organization.
"By consensus decision, all governments have re-affirmed the moratorium on a genetic engineering technology that threatens the lives and livelihoods of 1.4 billion people who depend on farmer-saved seed," said Pat Mooney, Executive Director of ETC Group.