Ethics in Engineering: Environment & Research

From the ASME Code of Ethics, The Code of Canons #8: “Engineers shall consider environmental impact in the performance of their professional duties.” Source: The Engineer’s Responsibility to the Environment

The National Environmental Policy Act was passed by Congress in 1969 Extremely important and influential environmental law. Some excerpts [1]: “a national policy which will encourage productive and enjoyable harmony between man and his environment” “assure for all Americans safe, healthful, productive, and aesthetically and culturally pleasing surroundings” Mandated the environmental impact statement Led Congress to create the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) 1. Source: 42 United States Code (USC) sect (1982) Note 20

What Does This Mean to the Engineer? Most environmental laws focus on making the environment ‘clean’, or free from many pollutants What does ‘clean’ mean? In Engineering Ethics Concepts and Cases, Harris, Pritchard, & Rabins consider the following definitions of ‘clean’: Source: Harris, Pritchard, & Rabin, 2009, Engineering Ethics Concepts and Cases, Wadsworth Cengage Learning, Chapter 9

1. Comparative Criterion The environment is clean if it imposes no greater threat to human life or health than do other risks What if the levels of pollution currently accepted are too high? Example: Workers should not expect working conditions to be safer than the drive to and from work

2. Normalcy Criterion The environment is clean if the pollutants present in it are normally present in nature to the same degree The levels of pollution in nature vary and may sometimes be accepted only because they are unavoidable Example: Radiation levels far exceeding the norm are currently acceptable in parts of Japan

3. Optimal-Pollution Reduction Criterion The environment is clean if funds required to reduce pollution further could be used in other ways that would produce more overall human well- being Consider that costs and benefits may be unfairly distributed Example: The funds required to reduce a pollutant further would save more lives if used elsewhere

4. Maximum Protection Criterion The environment is clean only if any identifiable risk from pollution that poses a possible risk has been eliminated (given technology and applicable laws) The rigidity of this criterion may require elimination of many substances whose toxicity is doubtful or extremely limited Example: Cell phones?

5. Demonstrable Harm Criterion The environment is clean if every pollutant that is demonstrably harmful to human health has been eliminated Some pollutants are harmful in different levels to different people, or not harmful at low levels Example: Wallow fire smoke: Cost prohibitive, and impossible

Consider a Degree-of-Harm Criterion If pollutants pose a clear and perhaps pressing threat to human health They must be REDUCED BELOW REASONABLE THRESHOLD OF HARM Cost cannot be considered a significant factor If harm is irreversible, PREVENTION gets the priority If pollutants pose a clear and perhaps pressing threat to human health They must be REDUCED BELOW REASONABLE THRESHOLD OF HARM Cost cannot be considered a significant factor If harm is irreversible, PREVENTION gets the priority

Where does this leave the engineer? Consider all implications Obtain additional information and opinions where needed Make informed decisions Do not forget personal principles Fracking Case Study – Discussion

Ethics in Research  Professional societies provide guidelines  Example: American Institute of Aeronautics & Astronautics  Member of the Publications Committee Ethics Subcommittee  Typically cases involve some aspect of plagiarism  May involve intellectually property  Who owns your research?  May be a cultural issue – all countries do not follow the same guidelines  May be misunderstanding  May be an error (did I cite everything properly?)