Ethics in Poduction Management - 1. Process Issues : Effluents

 The processes and methods employed to transform tangible inputs (raw materials, semi finished goods, or sub-assemblies) and intangible inputs (ideas, information, knowledge )into goods or services. The ethical issues cover areas like duty that companies have to ensure their products and production processes do not cause harm.

Few goods and services can be produced and consumed without any risk, so determining an ethical course can be difficult. Consumers demand and choose to purchase products that will likely cause harm, such as tobacco/alcohol products. Production may have an environmental impact, such as pollution, habitat destruction, and urban sprawl. The major areas of concern arise with respect to Effluents, Optimization of use of Power & Water, Additive & intrinsically hazardous products, Flawed products, Genetically modified products among others.

There are certain processes involved in the production of goods and a slight error in the same can degrade the quality severely. In certain products the danger is greater i.e. a slight error can reduce the quality and increase the danger associated with consumption or usage of the same exponentially. The dilemma therefore lies in defining the degree of permissibility, which in turn depends on a number of factors. Bhopal gas tragedy is one example where the poisonous gas got leaked out due to negligence on the part of the management.

 

1. Process Issues : Effluents

 

Effluent means the liquid waste that is sent from factories or places where sewage is dealt with, usually flowing to rivers, lakes, or to the sea.

Drinking water is water intended for human consumption for drinking and cooking purposes from any source. It includes water (treated or untreated) supplied by any means for human consumption. The quality standards for drinking water in India is prescribed by Bureau of Indian Standards laid down IS 10500 : 2012

There are specific quality standards for specified purposes. Drinking Water Source without conventional treatment but after disinfection is as follows:

  • Total Coliforms Organism MPN/100ml shall be 50 or less
  • PH between 6.5 and 8.5
  • Dissolved Oxygen 6mg/l or more
  • Biochemical Oxygen Demand 5 days 20°C 2mg/l or less

Presence of effluents affect water quality adversely and make it unusable for human consumption.

 


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