Lester Jason T.

Cheng

ChE 100

Case: A
Alex, an engineering student employed in the consulting firm Environmental
Engineering has been asked to sample the contents of drums located on the
property of a client. From the look and smell of the drums, Alex believes that the
analysis will show that drums contain hazardous waste. He also knows that there
are legal requirements for the disposal and transportation of the drums, and that
the government must be notified. RJ, the engineer who supervises him is notified by
Alex about the problem. RJ tells him to just report that samples have been taken
and to not do the analysis. RJ also told Alex to just suggest that drums be disposed
but not saying that the contents of the drums might be hazardous waste.
Moral Problem Statement:
Alex will chose between following RJ by withholding specific information about
the contents of the drums or by informing the client about the hazardous waste that
are contained in the drums and suggest for the more expensive and tiring but safer
way of waste disposal that may lead to the government having problems with their
client which may lead to the loss of their client. He is torn between following his
superior to save the client and doing what should be done for safety.
Problem analysis:
Stakeholders: RJ, Alex, The client
Interests: Safety, Expenses, loss of client
Facts: Drums located at clients property have a smell that can be from hazardous
waste
There are legal requirements for the transport and disposal of the drums
The client is a major one for the company
Lacking Information: The contents of the drums
Uncertain Facts: If the drums actually contain hazardous waste
Values: Safety and duty to government as an engineer
Conflicting Values: Duty to the client
Responsibility: Perform the analysis and inform the client and the authorities about
the waste if it is found out to be hazardous
Options for action:

Lester Jason T. Cheng

ChE 100

To do or not to do: To just tell the client to remove the drums from the location
without proper procedure or to perform the analysis and inform the client and the
authorities about the waste if it is found out to be hazardous

Ethical Judgment:
Tell the client to remove the drums from the location without proper procedure:
Does not fulfill anything except preventing the loss of a client
Perform the analysis and inform the authorities and the client about the waste if it is
found out to be hazardous:
Removes any doubt about the contents of the drums and fulfills the duty to the
safety of the client and duty to the country and to the safety of the countrymen
Reflection:
The path that must be taken is to analyze the contents of the drums and to inform
the client and the authorities about the contents if it is indeed proven to be
hazardous. It is because that way, the safety of the client and the people are
secured even if the process takes more expenses and the big client may be lost due
to not adhering to the law. This decision follows the deontological ethics that the
action should be what is morally acceptable and is adhering to the law.
Conclusion:
Using Deontological ethics, Alex must follow the law and report the hazardous
material if the analysis indeed shows that the materials contained inside the drums
are hazardous. That choice not only follows the law but it also does the most good
to people since the hazardous material will be removed using proper ways which
will have better effects than having the client die due to trying to remove the waste
using conventional methods. I have learned in this activity that moral decisions are
needed in the everyday life of someone working in the engineering industry since
those decisions may affect the lives of many people throughout the industry.