BIOREMEDIATION
saving our environment, one microorganism at a time
BIOREMEDIATION
ISSUES: ETHICAL, SOCIAL, AND LEGAL
Although bioremediation provides many benefits and advantages to keep the environment green, legal, ethical, and social issues come hand in hand with the process.
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Learn more about the various issues down below!
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SOCIAL ISSUES
With the two main methods of bioremediation, especially the in-situ method, this requires a lot of underground work in many areas. Because of the technology and equipment required to make this process happen, the people living around the community may easily hear the construction work going on.
According to various companies, it would also cost a lot of money and time to have some people evacuate the area for a given amount of time or at least find an area where they can work without disrupting anyone. Bioremediation is not an easy to process since the main and important step is to look for a site that is open and available in a community that is not too crowded.
ETHICAL ISSUES
Bioremediation focuses on using many beneficial microorganisms or bacteria where they are often altered to reach the level of performance needed to break down contaminants. Some worry that because these organisms are technically being modified constantly, it would not be considered a "natural process" anymore.
In addition, there is also the fear that lingers among some people. This fear is is the idea of having an organism work against us rather for us. The modification of these microorganisms can not be guaranteed to be effective permanently - increasing the chance for it to be susceptible to change.
LEGAL ISSUES
The legal issue regarding bioremediation occurs within the property rights of where the site will take place. To back this issue up, there are two acts to regulate bioremediation. The first act is called the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act and the second act is called the Research Conservation and Recovery Act.
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Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Recovery Act:
provides a Federal fund to clean up any uncontrolled and hazardous waste which includes accidents and spills. The EPA was given the obligation to ensure that any parties working on the sites are responsible to release and assure their own part in the cleanup process.
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Resource Conversation and Recovery Act:
provides the EPA with authority to handle, store, transport, and dispose any hazardous waste. The EPA strictly made regulations like this to reduce the increasing rates of pollution and to ensure great responsibility for waste management practices.
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