Paragraph 4 Environmental considerations
The following matters shall also be investigated and assessed in relation to an organism in relation to which a risk assessment under regulation 7 is carried out—
the factors affecting survival, multiplication and dissemination of the modified organism in the environment;
the available techniques for detection, identification, and monitoring of the modified organism in the environment;
the available techniques for detecting transfer of the new genetic material to other organisms;
the known and predicted habitats of the modified organism;
the ecosystems to which the modified organism could be disseminated as a result of an escape;
the anticipated mechanism and result of interaction between the modified organism and the organisms which might be exposed in case of the escape of the organism;
the known or predicted effects of the organism on plants and animals, including pathogenicity, infectivity, toxicity, virulence, vector or pathogen allergenicity, colonisation, predation, parasitism, symbiosis and competition;
the known or predicted involvement of the organism in biogeochemical processes, including nitrogen fixation and pH regulation;
the availability of methods for decontamination of the area in case of release to the environment.