The expert told what environmental risks may arise in the future with the development of the bioeconomy

What environmental risks may arise in the future with the development of the bioeconomy in Belarus? About this correspondent sb.by told the head of the sector of environmental and economic research of the Institute of Economics of the National Academy of Sciences of Belarus Nadezhda Batova.

She noted:

- The main risk is the notion that any biological raw material is automatically renewable and environmentally friendly. Increased demand for biomass can increase pressure on land and forests, stimulate monocultures, increase water consumption and create competition with food production. Excessive removal of straw, wood and other organic residues reduces the entry of organic matter into the soil and can worsen its fertility.

According to her, the biological origin of raw materials is not yet a certificate of environmental friendliness. Biomaterial production can require significant energy and water costs, chemical additives and complex processing. Some bioplastics decompose only in industrial plants, so their environmental advantage is reduced in the absence of adequate infrastructure. In bioenergy, it is necessary to control methane leaks, small particle emissions, odors, water pollution and digestate quality. In industrial biotechnology, the safety of production strains, the handling of genetically modified organisms, the protection of biological and medical data, and the prevention of the spread of antimicrobial resistance are key.

- Socio-economic risks are associated with the possible concentration of raw materials and revenues in large companies. If local suppliers receive only a fee for cheap biomass, and the main value added is generated outside the region, the bioeconomy contributes little to rural development. Automation simultaneously changes the structure of employment and increases the demand for higher-skilled specialists. There is also a risk of a new technological dependence on imported fermenters, strains, sensors, software and service. Therefore, when preparing large projects, it is important to assess not only financial indicators, but also the life cycle of products, the sustainability of the raw material base, the impact on soil and water, the distribution of benefits between participants and technological safety, added Nadezhda Batova. The expert told what domestic projects are most promising in the bioeconomy