GM attitudes need to change for biofuels success, Accenture

10 November 2009 18:39  [Source: ICIS news]

BERLIN (ICIS News)--More effort must be made to change negative public perceptions over the use of genetic engineering in the production of biofuels to speed up widespread commercial viability, said a spokesperson for global consultancy firm Accenture on Tuesday.

An Accenture study, released on Tuesday, had revealed how important genetic manipulation of crops and organisms was to biofuels production processes.

 "We didn't realise how prevalent [genetic engineering] was before, said Accenture senior executive, Melissa Stark at the 14th Annual European Refinery Technology Conference. Genetic engineering is transforming biofuels production, eliminating or combining steps," she added.

However, strict EU legislation such as the Directive on the Deliberate Release into the Environment of Genetically Modified Organisms, 2001, could hinder the development and widespread use of the technology in Europe.

"Obviously there would be great care not to let genetic modification contaminate food sources, but the technology actually started in drug manufacturing 20 years ago, and people don't seem to mind that," said Stark.

"There's so much we have to educate people on, so that legislators can debate better [on the topic]," she added.

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By: Alex Davis
+44 20 8652 3214

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