Synthetic Biology Data Hazard: Capable of Ecological Harm#

A red diamond shaped outline (like a warning sign) with a dead fish in a stream next a bare tree.

[Icon adapted from the Health and Safety Executive under the Open Government License 3.0]

Description#

This technology has the potential to cause broad ecological harm, even if used correctly.

Examples#

Example 1: Gene drives used to cause extinction events and in situ engineering of microbiomes.

Safety Precautions#

Ensure sufficient physical containment to avoid unexpected release and barriers in place if deployed.