▁For ▁example , ▁it ▁is ▁said ▁that ▁the ▁U . S . ▁now ▁maintain s ▁that ▁the ▁Article ▁I ▁of ▁the ▁B W C ▁( which ▁explicitly ▁b ans ▁bio - we ap ons ), ▁does ▁not ▁apply ▁to ▁" non - le th al " ▁bi ological ▁agents . ▁Pre vious ▁interpretation ▁was ▁stated ▁to ▁be ▁in ▁line ▁with ▁a ▁definition ▁laid ▁out ▁in ▁Public ▁Law ▁ 1 0 1 - 2 9 8 , ▁the ▁Bi ological ▁We ap ons ▁Anti - T error ism ▁Act ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 9 . ▁That ▁law ▁defined ▁a ▁bi ological ▁agent ▁as : ▁▁ ▁any ▁micro - organ ism , ▁virus , ▁inf ect ious ▁subst ance , ▁or ▁bi ological ▁product ▁that ▁may ▁be ▁engine ered ▁as ▁a ▁result ▁of ▁bi ote chn ology , ▁or ▁any ▁naturally ▁occurr ing ▁or ▁bio engine ered ▁component ▁of ▁any ▁such ▁micro organ ism , ▁virus , ▁inf ect ious ▁subst ance , ▁or ▁bi ological ▁product , ▁capable ▁of ▁causing ▁death , ▁disease , ▁or ▁other ▁bi ological ▁mal function ▁in ▁a ▁human , ▁an ▁animal , ▁a ▁plant , ▁or ▁another ▁living ▁organ ism ; ▁d eter ior ation ▁of ▁food , ▁water , ▁equipment , ▁supplies , ▁or ▁material ▁of ▁any ▁kind ▁... ▁ ▁According ▁to ▁the ▁Federation ▁of ▁American ▁Scient ists , ▁U . S . ▁work ▁on ▁non - le th al ▁agents ▁exceed s ▁limitations ▁in ▁the ▁B W C . ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁History ▁of ▁bi ological