Environmental and human health impacts of growing genetically modified herbicide‐tolerant sugar beet: a life‐cycle assessment

Abstract

SummaryThere is ongoing debate concerning the possible environmental and human health impacts of growing genetically modified (GM) crops. Here, we report the results of a life-cycle assessment (LCA) comparing the environmental and human health impacts of conventional sugar beet growing regimes in the UK and Germany with those that might be expected if GM herbicide-tolerant (to glyphosate) sugar beet is commercialized. The results presented for a number of environmental and human health impact categories suggest that growing the GM herbicide-tolerant crop would be less harmful to the environment and human health than growing the conventional crop, largely due to lower emissions from herbicide manufacture, transport and field operations. Emissions contributing to negative environmental impacts, such as global warming, ozone depletion, ecotoxicity of water and acidification and nutrification of soil and water, were much lower for the herbicide-tolerant crop than for the conventional crop. Emissions contributing to summer smog, toxic particulate matter and carcinogenicity, which have negative human health impacts, were also substantially lower for the herbicide-tolerant crop. The environmental and human health impacts of growing GM crops need to be assessed on a case-by-case basis using a holistic approach. LCA is a valuable technique for helping to undertake such assessments.

The use of life cycle assessment to compare the environmental impact of production and feeding of conventional and genetically modified maize for broiler production in Argentina

“…associated with the whole production system (maize grain + broiler production) in Argentina when using the conventional system compared with the use of variety genetically modified for herbicide tolerance and insect protection DISCUSSION Figures 3 and 4 show that the herbicide spray regimes implemented in Phase 1 and their associated husbandry methods are important variables within the different maize production scenarios. The results support the earlier LCA conducted by Bennett and colleagues who showed positive benefits associated with the use of GM varieties of sugar beet modified for herbicide tolerance when compared with conventional varieties (Bennett et al, 2004).…”

“…While the recently published results of the four-year Farm Scale Evaluation have assessed the effects of introducing GM crops on the abundance and diversity of farmland wildlife (The Royal Society, 2003), to-date little attempt has been made to consider the effect on the whole system, using an environmental impact assessment tool such as life-cycle assessment (LCA) (Audsley et al, 1997;Bennett et al, 2004). SETAC (1993) define LCA as a method for "evaluating the environmental burdens associated with a product, process or activity by identifying and quantifying the energy and materials used and wastes released to the environment".…”

An Approach to Identify the Suitable Plant Location for Miscanthus-Based Ethanol Industry: A Case Study in Ontario, Canada

“…Eastern Ontario has emerged to be the best location for the Miscanthus-based ethanol industry among the locations studied in Ontario, which seems to be environmentally and economically viable. Bennett et al [54] reported that genetically modified (GM) crops can serve various purposes, such as improving yield, increasing the share of useful components or decreasing the need for chemical fertilizers or water, and improves farm income. Therefore, net emission and production costs of ethanol from Miscanthus may further be reduced if GM Miscanthus is considered and promoted for the ethanol industry, improve farm income and rural economy, and future energy security.…”

A Review of Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of Bioethanol from Lignocellulosic Biomass

“…Pedersen et al 90 reveal that in the USA, some long-term breeding of switchgrass has achieved large yields and may begin to contribute significantly to biofuel production. Genetically modified (GM) herbicide tolerant energy crops (sugar beet) are reported to be less harmful to the environment and human health than growing conventional crops, largely due to lower emissions from herbicide manufacture, transport and field operations 10 . These studies indicate that the social and environmental co-benefits, including carbon sequestration opportunities, will be drivers of future energy cropping uptake, although they must also be ecologically sustainable, environmentally acceptable and economically competitive with fossil fuels 110 .…”