Cabinet Greenlights Draft Biosafety Bill

COLOMBO (News 1st) - Cabinet approval has been granted for the draft Biosafety Bill.

Minister of Environment Dr. Dhammika Patabendi says the proposed bill provides provisions to prevent potential adverse effects that organisms produced through modern biotechnology and genetic modification may have on public health, animals, plants, and the overall ecosystem.

Under the new draft bill, it will be mandatory to ensure that genetically modified seeds, food products, or animals do not pose a risk to the environment or human health before they are imported into the country or released outside laboratory settings.