2026-09-21T23:48:42Zhttps://dspace.mit.edu/server/oai/requestoai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/884002022-02-01T18:46:17Zcom_1721.1_7582com_1721.1_7581col_1721.1_131023
Kenneth A. Oye.
Lightfoot, Shlomiya
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Technology and Policy Program.
Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Engineering Systems Division
Technology and Policy Program
2014-07-11T21:09:03Z
2014-07-11T21:09:03Z
2014
2014
http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/88400
881821056
Thesis: S.M. in Technology and Policy, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Engineering Systems Division, Technology and Policy Program, 2014.
260
Cataloged from PDF version of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 52-64).
The emerging field of synthetic biology is developing rapidly and promises diverse applications. Many anticipated applications, particularly those involving release of engineered microbes into the environment or human bodies, have potential environmental and health implications. These implications, which present design challenges to engineers, stem from organisms' potential for competitiveness with natural strains upon entering an environment, their tendency to evolve new characteristics after leaving the lab, and their propensity to exchange genetic material with other organisms they encounter. The field's rapid evolution and the substantial uncertainties in the technology and relevant sciences present challenges to regulators seeking to ensure health and environmental wellbeing. Regulations exhibiting planned adaptation are especially suited to such contexts of uncertainty. However, the synthetic biology applications first nearing commercialization are regulated by the EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which was not written to be adaptive. EPA regulators appear to be using TSCA adaptively even though it was not written this way. An examination of characteristics of planned adaptation using the EPA program for ambient air standards as a case study suggests more that the regulators may be able to do to regulate synthetic biology effectively by using TSCA adaptively. Due to statutory language and court history, TSCA is essentially incapable of imposing restrictions or setting standards. Examination of the emerging algal biofuels industry as a case study suggests that concepts of industry-favored regulation may be useful to the EPA for fashioning strong regulations that would promote real health and environmental wellbeing.
by Shlomiya Lightfoot.
S.M. in Technology and Policy
64 pages
eng
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.
http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582
Engineering Systems Division.
Technology and Policy Program.
Uncertainty in synthetic biology for release and possibilities for regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act
Thesis
application/pdf
false
Publication
unknown
unknown
<Publication xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/1.1/" id="bee0030c-1282-4153-aaa1-78cae6dff981">
<Type xmlns="https://www.openaire.eu/cerif-profile/vocab/COAR_Publication_Types">http://purl.org/coar/resource_type/c_1843</Type>
<Language>eng</Language>
<Title>Uncertainty in synthetic biology for release and possibilities for regulation under the Toxic Substances Control Act</Title>
<PublishedIn>
<Publication>
</Publication>
</PublishedIn>
<PublicationDate>2014</PublicationDate>
<Authors>
<Author>
<DisplayName>Lightfoot, Shlomiya</DisplayName>
<Affiliation>
<OrgUnit>
</OrgUnit>
</Affiliation>
</Author>
</Authors>
<Editors>
</Editors>
<Publishers>
<Publisher>
<DisplayName>Massachusetts Institute of Technology</DisplayName>
<OrgUnit />
</Publisher>
</Publishers>
<License>http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582</License>
<Keyword>Engineering Systems Division.</Keyword>
<Keyword>Technology and Policy Program.</Keyword>
<Abstract>The emerging field of synthetic biology is developing rapidly and promises diverse applications. Many anticipated applications, particularly those involving release of engineered microbes into the environment or human bodies, have potential environmental and health implications. These implications, which present design challenges to engineers, stem from organisms' potential for competitiveness with natural strains upon entering an environment, their tendency to evolve new characteristics after leaving the lab, and their propensity to exchange genetic material with other organisms they encounter. The field's rapid evolution and the substantial uncertainties in the technology and relevant sciences present challenges to regulators seeking to ensure health and environmental wellbeing. Regulations exhibiting planned adaptation are especially suited to such contexts of uncertainty. However, the synthetic biology applications first nearing commercialization are regulated by the EPA under the Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA), which was not written to be adaptive. EPA regulators appear to be using TSCA adaptively even though it was not written this way. An examination of characteristics of planned adaptation using the EPA program for ambient air standards as a case study suggests more that the regulators may be able to do to regulate synthetic biology effectively by using TSCA adaptively. Due to statutory language and court history, TSCA is essentially incapable of imposing restrictions or setting standards. Examination of the emerging algal biofuels industry as a case study suggests that concepts of industry-favored regulation may be useful to the EPA for fashioning strong regulations that would promote real health and environmental wellbeing.</Abstract>
<Access xmlns="http://purl.org/coar/access_right"
>
</Access>
</Publication>