There is also the potential to remove pesticides and heavy metals from contaminated soil in the future. The EU has published proposals which would require genetically modified products such as maize and soya to be constantly monitored when grown commercially. These proposals are currently awaiting approval by EU ministers. It has been claimed that genetic modification will reduce genetic diversity by concentrating on fewer, better varieties. Other claims are that it will increase biodiversity by creating new varieties.
Geneticists are reliant on the gene pool for variance.
Cross pollination between plants is impossible to control in a field situation and genes can be transferred from genetically modified plants to wild relatives. There is concern that this could result in herbicide tolerance and other new characteristics occurring in weeds. Some environmental groups are concerned that genes for herbicide tolerance, will appear in weedy relatives making them impossible to control. This depends on the presence of weedy relatives. There are no weedy relatives of soya in the US but many of oilseed rape.