Transport of GMOs

Investigators should ensure that all proposed transport, including sending/receiving of GMOs with other organisations in Australia or overseas, is included in their authorised dealing. Approval can be gained for additional/new transport requirements by seeking an amendment to your approval.

All GMOs must be transported in accordance with the OGTR Guidelines for the Transport of GMOs as current at the time of transport. The current version: Guidelines for the Transport of GMOs. (Version 2.1 - 1 July 2007)

Transport definition

'Transport' is not defined in the GT Act and takes its ordinary meaning. Within the OGTR Guidelines, it is taken to mean 'to carry or convey from one place to another' and includes:

• all movements of a GMO from a certified facility to any location outside the certified facility. For example:
  • movement between one certified facility and another certified facility;
  • movement between the certified facility to another area of the building that has not been certified by the Regulator (eg. to a storage unit); and
  • movement from a certified facility to a place where the GMO is to be destroyed or disposed of (e.g. to an incinerator).
• all movements between a location specified in a licence (e.g. field trial site) to another location (e.g. from a certified facility, processing plant or other site).

The Guidelines do not apply to transport:

• from a place in a certified facility to another place entirely within a certified facility (for example, from one side of a PC2 laboratory to the other);or
• from a place in a location specified in a licence to another place within the same specific location (for example, from one part of a field trial site to another part of the same site).