April 18, 2023 DRAFT 1

Environmental Ethics and the Professional Engineer

Prepared byPadraig G. Finlay, P.Eng.

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 2

Presentation

Prepared for

Introduction to Environmental Engineering Seminar Series

Mackenzie Engineering Building ME 3165

Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, Canada

28 October 2008

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 3

Objectives

• Share information on environmental considerations and on engineering professional ethics

• Present case studies for consideration

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 4

Outline

• Selected Environmental Issues, Developments, Principles, Policies, Approaches, Legislation, Guides

• Selected Engineering Codes of Ethics and Environmental Considerations

• Roles of Professional Engineers• Incidences and Case Studies• Conclusions and Recommendations• Web References

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 5

Current Environmental Issues

• Climate Change – greenhouses gases

• Air Quality – smog, acid rain

• Water Quality – potable, fish habitat

• Waste Management - recycling

• Workplace toxics exposure e.g., asbestos

• Consumer toxics exposure e.g., lead in toys

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 6

Environmental Developments

• “Natural” and historical pollution• Industrial Revolution-coal (coke, gas), steam

power, metallurgy, canals, railways, electricity, internal combustion engine, chemicals, etc.

• Dead River Thames, “Great Stink” 1858 (T. Crapper!)

• London smog, 1952, 4,000 dead• Continuous improvements in engineering and

environmental performance • Today - Global time warps in environments

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 7

Environmental Milestones

• Silent Spring, 1962, Rachel Carson– Birds, pesticides, DDT bans

• Limits to Growth, 1972, Club of Rome– Environmental consequences of economic growth

• Our Common Future, 1987, Brundtland World Commission– Deterioration of natural environment, resources

• First Earth Summit, 2002, United Nations– Sustainable Development – development that meets the needs

of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 8

Environmental Groups

• Sierra Club, USA 1892, Canada 1963

• World Wildlife Foundation, 1961

• Pollution Probe, 1969

• Greenpeace, 1971

• Canadian Environmental Network, 1977

• Green – from fringe to mainstream

• Green policies and parties

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 9

Environmental Agencies

• USA Canada International Joint Commission, 1909

• Environment Canada, 1971, and provincial agencies

• United Nations Environment Program, 1972

• World Bank environmental initiatives

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 10

Industry Groups – Economic and Environmental

• Canadian Motor Vehicle Association

• Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, Petroleum Products Institute

• Canadian Electricity/Nuclear Associations

• Forest Products Association of Canada

• Mining Association of Canada

• Canadian Chemical Producers Association

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 11

Environmental Principles and Policies

• Sustainable development• Economic, environmental, social “bottom lines”• Sustainable consumption• Precautionary approach• Polluter pays• Pollution prevention (vs. control, remediation)• Integrated pollution prevention and control,

multimedia• Co-benefits of multi-pollutant control• Environmental Management Systems

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 12

Performance Standards- Technology-Based Approaches

• USA Environmental Protection Agency– Best Available Technology Economically Achievable (BATEA) –

Water– Maximum, Reasonably, Best, Lowest - Achievable Control

Technologies (MACT, RACT, BACT, LAER) – Air

• European Union, United Nations– Best Available Techniques (BAT) (of pollution prevention and

control, multi-media)

• Release Concentrations based (end of pipe/stack) or Intensity based (release per unit production)

• Ambient quality considerations – dilution not solution to pollution– should protect sensitive eco-systems after BAT

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 13

Legislations and Guidelines-International

• World Bank International Finance Corporation (WB IFC) – Environmental & Social Standards– Various activities and industrial sectors

• United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE)- Conventions and Protocols- various pollutants and practices– Climate Change, Waste Exports/Imports, Prior

Informed Consent, Sulphur Dioxide, Nitrogen Oxides, Volatile Organic Chemicals, Heavy Metals, Persistent Organic Pollutants, Chlorofluorocarbons, etc.

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 14

Legislations and Guidelines- Canadian

• Fisheries Act (FA), 1868– Mining, pulp and paper effluents

• Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA), 1999– Toxics management, lead smelters emissions

• Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA), 1992– New projects with federal interest

• Various provincial, territorial, municipal environmental acts, regulations and site permits

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 15

Ethics Definition

• The basic principles of right actions, especially with respect to a particular person, profession, etc.– Doubleday Dictionary, 1975

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 16

Codes of Ethics

• Engineers Canada – Guideline on Code and National Guideline on Environment and Sustainability

• Canadian Provincial and Territorial Professional Engineers Associations (12) – Individual Codes

• USA National Society of Professional Engineers – Code, and National Academy of Engineering- Online Ethics Centre

• Engineers Ireland – Code (comprehensive, current)

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 17

Codes and the Environment

• “…safeguard human life and welfare, and the environment…” (Engineers Canada Code)

• “…hold paramount the safety, health and welfare of the public and the protection of the environment and promote health and safety within the workplace;…” (Engineers Canada Code)

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 18

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  Engineers Ireland

Code of Ethics 2.0 ENVIRONMENTAL & SOCIAL OBLIGATIONS

2.1 Members shall have due regard to the effects of their work on the health and safety of individuals, and on the welfare of society and of its impacts on the natural environment.

2.2 Members shall promote the principles and practices of sustainable development and the needs of present and future generations.

2.3 Members shall strive to ensure that engineering projects for which they are responsible will, as far as is practicable, have minimal adverse effects on the environment, on the health and safety of the public and on social and cultural structures.

2.4 Members shall strive to accomplish the objectives of their work with the most efficient consumption of natural resources which is practicable economically, including the maximum reduction in energy usage, waste and pollution.

2.5 Members shall promote the importance of social and environmental factors to professional colleagues, employers and clients with whom they share responsibility and collaborate with other professions to mitigate the adverse impacts of their common endeavours.

2.6 Members shall foster environmental awareness within the profession and among the public. Published April 2004

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April 18, 2023 DRAFT 19

Roles of Professional Engineers

• Engineers in government, industry, consulting – different contexts, common responsibilities

• Responsible environmental governance• Clear accountability for environmental

performance – compliance with regulations, conformance to guidelines, use of best practices

• Environmental management systems (EMS) -auditing, reporting, transparency, etc.

• Advocates of environmental excellence

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 20

Incidences of Concern-Civil

• Quebec City Bridge, Canada, 1907, 1916– Cantilever bridge collapsed, 75 and 13 killed– Miscalculations of weights– Beginning of professional engineers associations– Original Engineers iron rings from bridge?

• Laval Overpass, Canada, 2006– Collapsed, 5 killed– Improper rebar design and installation– Ongoing examination of Canadian infrastructure

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 21

Quebec Bridge Collapse

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 22

Laval Overpass Collapse

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 23

Incidences of Concern-Chemical

• Bhopal Chemical Plant, India, 1984– Gas tank leak caused by water addition reactions– Methy Isocynate (MIC) intermediate for Carbaryl pesticide

manufacture, other gases also released– Estimated 3,000 to 20,000 killed– Resulted in increased safety in chemical plants

• Love Canal Waste Site, USA, 1978– Abandoned canal, clay sealed, drummed chemical wastes, 1947– Built school and houses on site, after 1957– Adverse health effects, controversy– Resulted in increased waste management requirements

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 24

Bhopal Disaster

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 25

Love Canal Wastes

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 26

Incidences of Concern - Nuclear

• Three Mile Island Nuclear Plant, USA, 1979– Loss of Coolant Accident – Partial reactor meltdown, some radioactivity released – Design, operator errors; No health effects claimed– Improved Emergency Response procedures

• Chernobyl Nuclear Plant, Ukraine, 1986– Experiment for Emergency Core Cooling System – Massive power excursion, Explosions, Fires, Reactor

destroyed– Massive radioactive releases, wide dispersion– Major design and operator flaws

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 27

Three Mile Island

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 28

Chernobyl Accident

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 29

Case Study-1

• Describe situation– Engineer responsible for design, commissioning and

air and water pollution control systems for a new electricity generating station. Project over budget and behind schedule. Management wants to reduce and delay environmental systems*. What should Engineer do?

• Identify issues - legal, ethical, practical• Identify options and associated implications• Recommend option and action

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 30

COALOIL

WATER (process, cooling)

BOILERSTEAM

ELECTRICITY

AIR EMISSIONS*(fly ash, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides.)

WASTEWATERS* (process, sanitary)RESIDUES (bottom ash, fly ash, sludges)

Electricity Generation-Coal Fuelled, Environmental Releases

INPUTS - PROCESSES - RELEASES

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 31

Case Study -2

• Describe situation– Engineer responsible for maintenance and operation

of municipal sewer system. Untreated sewage inadvertently released through defective overflow gate* to river. What should Engineer do?

• Identify issues - legal, ethical, practical• Identify options and associated implications• Recommend option and action

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 32

Municipal Wastewater- Management, Environmental Releases

INPUTS - PROCESSES - RELEASES

SEWAGE (residential,

industrial wastewater) SURFACE RUNOFF

COLLECTION ANDCENTRAL TREATMENT

Storm sewersCombined sewers

TREATED SEWAGEStorm overflow

Untreated segregated sewage* Untreated combined sewage*

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 33

Conclusions

• Rich history of engineering and environmental developments

• Many industrial accidents due to unclear accountability and poor communication

• Environmental engineers may face conflicts of interests and ethical challenges

• Engineers can contribute to the protection of the public and environment

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 34

Recommendations

• Engineers should be aware of Codes of Ethics, especially with respect to provisions for protection of the public and the environment

• Engineers should take into account environmental and social, in addition to technological, scientific, economic and legal considerations

• Environmental engineers should be aware of “state of the art” best practices, opportunities and responsibilities

April 18, 2023 DRAFT 35

Web References

• http://www.engineerscanada.ca/e/guide_guidelines.cfm

• http://www.onlineethics.org/CMS/profpractice/ethcodes/13411/9972.aspx

• http://www.engineersireland.ie/ethics/codeofethics.pasp?menuid=1

• http://www.ifc.org/ifcext/sustainability.nsf/Content/EnvSocStandards

• http://eippcb.jrc.ec.europa.eu/pages/FActivities.htm

• Photos - Google Images