Introduction
Global business introduces a complex ethical dilemma as investors face difficulties assessing the business environment and making informed decisions (Kline, 2005). Many entrepreneurs focus more on making profits without caring about ethical issues associated with the type of business they perform. Unethical behaviors damage the reputation of the organization both locally and internationally calling for Kroger Grocery Store to be more careful when doing business in an international arena. Recycling of used vehicle and industrial batteries is a booming business in Mexico, but suffers many environmental effects. Lead forms one of the highest toxic metal and high elevated le levels of lead in the human body causes severe damage to body organs and tissues. Kroger Grocery Store’s involvement in lead recycling business involves many environmental issues as discussed in this paper.
Environmental issues likely to be faced by Kroger Grocery Store
The first environmental issue that Kroger Grocery Store is likely to face involves air pollution associated with melting old lead batteries in furnaces to exploit used lead. The smoke generated from furnaces dissolves in the air and is inhaled by human beings causing significant harmful effects to their organs and tissues. High exposure to lead causes damage to crucial body organs and tissues like bones, heart, kidneys, reproductive system, and heart. Presently, Mexico lacks regulatory frameworks that provide equivalent levels of health protection and levels of environmental controlling secondary lead smelters (Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, 2012). Doing business in Mexico will be to an advantage for Kroger Grocery Store because there lacks effective environmental regulations. However, the practice will affect lives of many innocent citizens, especially those directly involved in the melting process. On the other hand, air pollution causes a significant effect to other living creatures like animals, birds and vegetation. Exposing lead fumes to the air will interfere with the flora and fauna contributing to environmental degradation in Mexico. Violations of emission standards results to widespread of environmental contamination that contributes to lead poisoning within the vicinity of lead recycling plants and the surrounding environment.
Kroger Grocery Store also faces the environmental challenge of disposing of off used lead batteries through. Solid waste violations are the most common types of environmental issues affecting most manufacturing firms. The mode of disposal for old used lead batteries has a significant effect to the environment. According to Jang (2013), environmental lead contamination occurs in many different ways, and the mode of disposal determines the level of environment pollution. Lack of strict regulations on use and disposal of lead batteries in Mexico forces many recycling plants dispose of used batteries alongside with other garbage. This posses a great environmental threat because land exposure of lead results to neurobehavioral problems such as decreased IQ, and Attention Deficit Disorder. In addition, exposure of lead to the soil results into people having high levels of lead in their blood. The effort by the government to control disposal of recycled lead batteries to the ground has not achieved its target as levels in Mexico are five times higher than in the U.S. (Jang, 2013).
Water pollution forms another major environmental issue associated with Kroger Grocery Store opening up lead recycling business in Mexico. Seas, rivers, lakes, and oceans are habitats for billions of living creatures. Water creatures play a significant role towards boosting the economy of the country through tourism attraction, source of employment, and act as a source of food. Interfering with the environment of such animals causes several damages to their bodies. Lack of rules regulating recycling of lead batteries in Mexico would lead to recycling companies directing their wastes to rivers. The recycling process consumes a lot of water. Releasing this water to the river in its normal state is a dangerous environmental issue capable of affecting large numbers of living things including humans. People and animals who consume this water suffer from different health problems.
Finally, Kroger Grocery Store might experience environmental issues associated with endangering the life of employees. Most lead recycling plants use human labor to dismantle and smelt lead batteries in furnaces. Employees assigned these duties get into direct contact with lead particles that might find their ways into the body tissues through inhaling, consumption, or the skin. In addition, employees working in these factories carry with them particles of lead on their clothes. Direct contact with other individuals on their way home and their families poses great environmental effects. Additionally, lack of concern for employees makes the company violate the Occupation Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) laws that maintains strict standards and guidelines governing handling, storage, and disposal of hazardous materials (Foist, 2000)
Conclusion
Organizations should be keen to uphold business ethics irrespective of the location of the business. Adherence to business ethics saves the organization many issues associated with environment and ensures smooth running of operations without disturbance from government environmental agencies. Kroger Grocery Store should consider adhering to environmental standards upon doing business in the international arena in order to promote health of the citizens and other living things. Moreover, following environmental standards ensures the business maintain good ethics and builds a good reputation internationally.
References
Foist, W. (2000, September 1). Lead-Acid and the Environment: A Battery of Concerns.
Retrieved November 13, 2014, from
http://ecmweb.com/content/lead-acid-and-environment-battery-concerns
Jang, M. (2012, February 21). U.S. lead batteries recycled dangerously abroad | The Johns
Hopkins News-Letter. Retrieved November 13, 2014, from http://www.jhunewsletter.com/2013/02/21/u-s-lead-batteries-recycled-dangerously-abroad-64250/
Kline, J. (2005). Ethics for international business decision making in a global political economy.
London: Routledge.
Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation. (2012). Hazardous Trade? An
examination of US-generated spent lead-acid batteries exports and secondary lead recycling in Mexico, the United States and Canada. Commission for Environmental Cooperation. Retrieved November 13, 2014 from http://www.cec.org/Storage/142/16758_SLAB-publicdraft-30Nov_en.pdf
