Aarva

Works in Progress ·Future-gazing

The 1970s Law Holding Back Modern Biotechnology

by Niko McCarty

Published 2026-09-22 11:05:09+00:00

If a microbe can eat plastic, why is it regulated like a toxic chemical?

0:00 / 19:55 · Narrator Algieba

Context

Writing on 22 September 2026, Niko McCarty looks at a strange bottleneck in modern science. Laboratories are full of engineered microbes that can eat plastic waste or pull rare metals from old mines. Yet almost none of these inventions ever make it into the real world. The holdup comes down to a bureaucratic quirk from the 1980s, when regulators decided to treat living organisms exactly like industrial chemicals. The piece asks a practical question: how do you govern a living organism using a law written for toxic chemicals?

Show notes

An account of how a 1980s decision to regulate genetically engineered microbes as industrial chemicals stalled the progress of modern biotechnology. Traces the history of the Toxic Substances Control Act to show why innovations like plastic-eating and metal-mining bacteria remain stuck in laboratories. Concludes by outlining how administrative changes or a 2026 congressional vote could reform the approval process.

Read on Works in Progress →