LS 312-02 Ethics and the Legal Environment
Kaplan University
5-3-14
INTRODUCTION
George, the plan manger for Ardnak Plastic Inc., faces an ethical and moral dilemma. The Ardnak Plastic Plant he relocated to be the manager of has environmental problems. Fix the air quality issue at his plant or watch as the plant moves to Mexico. The smoke stakes are releasing too much pollutant into the air to the point the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has begun to fine the corporation. George can change the time of day the plant manufactures its product and release the pollutants into the air at night. This is what his contemporaries at the other plants are doing to hide the release. His boss has threatened him to fix the problem or the plant gets moved to Mexico.
The stakeholders are George the plant manager, Bill, George’s supervisor, George’s family, the town of Hondo, the Mexican town, the Environmental Protection Agency, anyone affected by the release of pollutants, and the environment. Their interests are the jobs of the employees, the lively hood of the town of Hondo, the investment of the stockholders, the ramification of pollutants in the environment and the moral obligation of George.
LEGAL ANALYSIS
With the pressure Bill places on George to fix the problem or the plant will be moved opens several legal issues. The plant is in violation of the “Clean Air Act” of 1970. This act protects the stakeholders or the current and future generations from air contaminates typically too small to see with the naked eye (eGuide, n.d.). The EPA has enforceable powers to mandate companies fix the problems or face closure.
George has the moral obligation to his community to fix the problem. Hiding the smoke at night will not fix the problem nor will it hide his moral or ethical responsibilities.
As the manager of the plant George has an obligation to understand the ramifications of toxic torts. Businesses are
References: E-Guide to Ethics and the Legal Environment. (n.d). E-Guide to ethics and the legal Bentham/Mill. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.philosophypages.com/hy/5q.htm Principles and Theories. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/kabernd/indep/carainbow/theories.htm John Rawls. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://caae.phil.cmu.edu/cavalier/Forum/meta/background/Rawls.html Categorical Imperative. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.qcc.cuny.edu/socialsciences/ppecorino/MEDICAL_ETHICS_TEXT/Chapter_2_Ethical_Traditions/Categorical_Imperative.htm