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Final Review to Industrial Pollution

Maria E. Silva

Montgomery College Germantown Campus

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Industrial Pollution

The problem of industrial pollution seems to be estranged from people or communities.

However, industrial pollution is a problem that needs to be addressed not only by the

governments but also by the communities because it affects the environment; therefore, all forms

of living. Now more than ever, industrial pollution is changing our lives by increasing the risk of

getting diseases or damaging the place where living. Since the discovery of fire, people has been

polluting the environment without stopping a minute to think about the damage that pollution can

cause in humanity. Over the semester, I have learned from my research that industrial pollution

involves more than a simple politic issue. Industrial pollution is a worldwide problem that needs

to be addressed soon because industrial pollution has several causes, its effects affect humanity,

industrial pollution violates some ethical problems.

At the beginning of the semester, I had limited knowledge about industrial pollution than

what I know now. I thought that the industrial pollution problem was more a legislative issue

than a communal one. I also believed that industrial pollution only referred to what large

corporations do in their process to pollute the environment. However, I found that industrial

pollution includes more than juridical difficulties.

One of the most important points to know how to prevent industrial pollution is to

identify its causes. The first significant cause of industrial pollution is the lack of environmental

regulations from governments and industry regulators. Even though governments set a law to

prevent pollution, having an accurate measurement of some pollutants discharges from each

industry is difficult. Lyon and Stein (2009) set the Clean Water Acts effectiveness as a clear

example of an inadequate measurement of the discharges. The authors stated that despite the

increased importance of storm water discharges, regional monitoring and data compilation of this
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source is lacking, making it difficult to accurately assess trends in non-point source discharge.

The statement above demonstrated that not only regulations are necessary, but efficient ways to

measure and recollect data are required to succeed. Corporations find in weak regulations

bridges to trespass law. By using subsidiaries, per Prechel and Zheng (2012), corporations

create greater organizational distance between the parent company, where most assets are held,

and the location in the corporation where pollution occurs (i.e., facilities). This social structure

protects parent companies and their managers from lawsuits for social and ecological damages

caused by toxic emissions (p. 964). Therefore, when making regulations, governments need to

consider the problem of subsidiaries; so that, identifying pollutants generators will be less

complicated. The other factor causing industrial pollution is human unawareness about the issue.

Thomas (2013) explained in her research that deliberate unawareness is one type of common

unawareness in people regarding pollution. Deliberate unawareness is defined by Thomas as a

lack of interest from people about pollution. In other words, people know that industrial pollution

is a problem but find excuses to not deal with it. Many causes are leading to industrial pollution

such as weak regulations and human ignorance about the topic.

From human illnesses to disparities in living, industrial pollution caused harmful effects

in humanity. One of the dangerous effects of industrial pollution is mental illnesses. Downey

and van Willigen (2005) found that living near industrial areas is associated with feelings of

powerlessness, and depression. In the past decades, many catastrophes demonstrated the impact

of industrial pollution on humans health. In 1986, for example, a reactor explosion in Chernobyl

yielded to radiation illnesses such as cancer and thyroid illnesses (Encyclopaedia of

Occupational Health and Safety). Therefore, industrial pollution is not a simple problem but a

challenging and fragile one because it has been causing several damages in humans health.
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Industrial pollution also affects small cultural groups, forming a bridge even broader between

high and low-income classes. Research conducted by Mohai, Lantz., Morenoff, House, and Mero

(2009) showed that people with low income and undergraduate are more likely to be exposed to

the side effects of living near industrial areas than high-income groups who live in areas far apart

from hazardous zones. The problem of industrial pollution affects disadvantaged groups who do

not have other options than living near industrial areas, exposing themselves to danger. In other

terms, industrial pollution has an effect on peoples health and their way of living regarding

being exposed to pollutants.

From an ethical perspective, industrial pollution does not obey some ethical principles

that are necessary to cope as humanity. First, the principle of beneficence which refers to every

action must have a positive effect in life is not follow by industries. The humans need to

industrialize let the industries pollute without thinking about the effects that would have on the

environment. The principle of no maleficence is the second ethical principle violated when

polluting. This ethical principle means that humans must prevent or minimize harm. In an

interview conducted by Bagley to Kyle Powys Whyte (2016), the interviewer addressed the

problem of the Potawatomi community who had to step out against fossil fuel industries because

of the damage caused to their community. Lacking support from government and industries

greed to develop are affecting the life of communities who just want to live in peace. Respecting

ethical principles is important to cope with each other as individuals and as communities. By

demonstrating our values, humanity can prevent industrial pollution.

Overall, industrial pollution is an important and critical issue because there are several

causes, effects and ethical principles that generate harm to the humanity. Lacking regulations

and human unawareness are some causes for industrial pollution. From these causes, industrial
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pollution is affecting peoples health and their communities are not safe from pollutants. On the

other side, industrial pollution violates need to be addressed as an ethical problem because are

some principles violated while developing industries such as beneficence and no maleficences

principles. From this topic, I have learned that industrial pollution is more than a juridical

problem that concerns to the government. I have learned that communities need to work as a

singular to prevent industrial pollution. It is known that reducing pollution is not easy, but one

helpful way to start is by informing people about the consequences of industrial pollution. People

need to know what they do to increase pollution to stop their actions. Being informed is crucial

to understand, and to know what we can do to prevent more pollution. People play an important

role in preventing the increasing rates of industrial pollution because our actions are the main

cause. Would you like to give your children a better environment? If your answer is Yes, then

acting now is essential. Every significant change begins with small steps. Let the twentieth first

century set the path for a positive change towards the safer environment.

References
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Bagley, K. (2016). At standing rock, a battle over fossil fuels and land. [Interview]. e360.
Retrieved from
http://e360.yale.edu/features/at_standing_rock_battle_over_fossil_fuels_and_land
Downey, L., & van Willigen, M. (2005). Environmental stressors: the mental health impacts of

living near industrial activity. Journal of Health & Social Behavior, (Vol. 46, pp. 289-

305).

Environmental Health Hazards. Encyclopaedia of Occupational Health and Safety. (53)

Retrieved from http://www.ilocis.org/documents/chpt53e.htm

Lyon, G.S. & Stein, E.D. (2009). How effective has the clean water act been at reducing

pollutant mass emissions to the southern California bight over the past 35 years?

Environmental Monitoring and Assessment. [Abstract]. US National Library of Medicine

National Institutes of Health 154: 413. doi:10.1007/s10661-008-0408-1

Prechel, H., & Zheng, L. (2012). Corporate characteristics, political embeddedness and

environmental pollution by large U.S. corporations. Social Forces, 90, 947-970.

Thomas, L. (2013). How and why environmental issues are neglected. Yale Environment

Review. Retrieved from http://environment.yale.edu/yer/article/how-and-why-

environmental-issues-are-neglected#gsc.tab=0counter