Canada moves closer to adopting precautionary principle

Exposure to bisphenol A in Canada: invoking the precautionary principle.

1 environmental advocates, regulatory agencies and the mainstream press have given much attention to the possible harm to health posed by bisphenol A. Bisphenol A is one of the most manufactured chemicals worldwide — more than three million tonnes of it are produced each year — and human exposure throughout the developed world is thought to be ubiquitous. Because bisphenol A has estrogenic prop...

Applying the Precautionary Principle To

This paper sets out a framework for applying the precautionary principle to the release of new and existing genetically engineered (GE) crops. The framework aims to assist NGOs, scientists, regulators and others who are currently addressing issues related to genetic engineering and/or the precautionary principle. The steps outlined here suggest a way forward in the current genetic engineering d...

Implementing the precautionary principle.

The precautionary principle can be found in international treaties that protect human health and the environment from a variety of pollutants and perturbations. One of the earliest forms of the precautionary principle was used in the 1980s in Europe to protect the North Sea. In 1992, the Rio Declaration specifically included the precautionary principle in calling on nations to protect the envir...

Expanding the precautionary principle.

Applying the Precautionary Principle to Nanotechnology

The development of molecular nanotechnology (MNT) carries numerous risks, including the production of potentially unhealthy nanoparticles, the possible creation of tiny, destructive, self-replicating robots, and many others. The Precautionary Principle is often invoked when dealing with situations that might be hazardous; however, the label "Precautionary Principle" is attached to at least two ...