Biotechnology and the Environment

Abstract

The role of biotechnologies for the environment will be elucidated and discussed in this paper. The main problems in the environment are the level of pollutions and the resulting loss of biodiversity Two different types of biotechnologies are to be distinguished:

• 1.) Environmental Biotechnologies

• 2. Ecological Process Engineering (“Eco-technologies”).

The first is understood as the application of biotechnologies in order to reduce the level of pollutions in air, water and soil in a holistic way. It is regarded as a short term but end-of- pipe activity (e.g. Verstraete, 1992). The second represents the new technology paradigm, where pollution is prevented with the aid of biotechnologies, which are able to replace polluting (chemical) productions (Moser, 1991).

Renewable raw materials and catalysts will be used and only (bio) degradable products formed. Waste must not necessarily be at zero level as the products are biodegraded by the assimilation capacity of natural cycles. This new area is a long-term activity, it means a full embeddedness of technosphere into the eco-sphere i.e. closing material cycles, obeying the principles of evolution: “ecoprinciples”. This will lead to eco-restructuring and ecological sustainability representing an ecologically oriented economy in direction of a“ biosociety”.