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The Genetically Modified Organisms (Control of Release) (Exemption) Notice made under the Genetically Modified Organisms (Control of Release) Ordinance, Cap 607 will take effect tomorrow (June 23).
With an aim of protecting the local biological diversity, the Ordinance controls the release into the environment and the transboundary movement of genetically modified organisms (GMOs), and provides for related matters, a spokesman for the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department (AFCD) said today (June 22). The Ordinance came into effect on March 1, 2011.
The Notice exempts all varieties of genetically modified (GM) papaya and any GMO that is contained in a veterinary vaccine (live recombinant veterinary vaccines) from the application of section 5 of the Ordinance, which provides that a person must not knowingly cause a GMO to be released into the environment or maintain the life of a GMO that is in a state of being released into the environment.
"Given the low risk of the exempted GMO to the local biodiversity, the exemption would avoid creating undue nuisance and disturbance to the public, and cater for the need of the application of live recombinant veterinary vaccines in emergency situations such as an outbreak of a pandemic disease. Upon the commencement of the exemption, it is not an offence under the Ordinance that a person grows or maintains a GM papaya in the field or administers a live recombinant veterinary vaccine to an animal," the spokesman said.
The Notice also exempts two commercialised varieties of GM papaya (GM papaya with the unique identifier code of CUH-CP551-8 and GM papaya with the transformation event code of Huanong 1), and live recombinant veterinary vaccines from the application of section 7 of the Ordinance which provides that a person must not knowingly import a GMO that is intended for release into the environment. Upon the commencement of the exemption, prior approval from the Director of Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation is required for the import for environmental release of non-exempted GM papaya, including newly developed GM varieties.
In view of the prevalence of GM papaya growing in the local environment, the AFCD conducted a risk assessment with reference to the Cartagena Protocol on Biosafety to the Convention on Biological Diversity, the requirements of the Ordinance and relevant scientific studies. The risk assessment examined the potential biosafety effects of GM papaya on the local environment, including the gene flow to wild relatives of papaya, horizontal gene transfer, impact on soil microbial diversity, weed potential and production of harmful substances.
"The risk assessment found that GM papaya is unlikely to pose any adverse biosafety effect on the biological diversity of the local environment, mainly because papaya is an exotic species, and that it does not have any close relatives in Hong Kong, making it unlikely for the release of GM papaya to the environment to affect the local biodiversity. Due to the species barrier, the inserted genes of GM papaya cannot pass on to local wild plants. As GM papaya is produced through genetic engineering using the same transformation system, all varieties of GM papaya that were developed or are developing would share the same basic genetic makeup. Therefore, the risk assessment is applicable to both the existing and new varieties of GM papaya. Following an in-depth discussion, the expert group established under the Ordinance endorsed the findings of the risk assessment in that GM papaya is very unlikely to pose any adverse biosafety effect to the local environment," the spokesman said.
"Having regard to some of the public concern expressed over the possible new technology in producing GM papaya, we will monitor the latest progress and development of GM papayas in addition to providing an appropriate control over the import of non-commercialised GM papaya to Hong Kong for growing. A review of the exemption of GM papaya will also be carried out in three years' time for reporting to the Expert Group," the spokesman added.
The AFCD will continue its education and publicity efforts on the Ordinance to both the general public and the stakeholders. For more information, please visit the GMO Register: www.afcd.gov.hk/english/conservation/con_gmo/con_gmo.html.
Ends/Friday, June 22, 2012
Issued at HKT 11:31
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