Are there any Ethical Issues with the use of Bioremediation?
Ethical concerns related to bioremediation are primarily those related to the creation and use of genetically modified organisms, as they can be used in bioaugmentation. Many people argue that it is not the place of human beings to alter DNA that has been created either through millions of years of evolution, or by God, or both. What's more, there are many potential risks associated with changing the genetic code of an organism, such as the possibilities of genetic cross-over and mutation, which could lead to an organism that might start working against us rather than for us. The ethical issues directly concerning the introduction of organisms to a habitat for bioremediation are of whether or not it is right for humans to try to control and use our environment to benefit us. Also, there is debate about whether or not we should use such a technology when the possibility exists that organisms introduced for bioremediation could have unforeseen negative impacts on the environment, and, indirectly, on human beings.
These articles explore the ethical issues relating to bioremediation in more depth:
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0c54e3b3-1e9c-be1e-2c24-a6a8c7060233&lng=en&id=122105
http://press.anu.edu.au//dialogue_methods/mobile_devices/ch04s05.html
http://www.journys.org/articles/genetically-modified-organisms-question-ethics-0
http://www.isn.ethz.ch/Digital-Library/Publications/Detail/?ots591=0c54e3b3-1e9c-be1e-2c24-a6a8c7060233&lng=en&id=122105
http://press.anu.edu.au//dialogue_methods/mobile_devices/ch04s05.html
http://www.journys.org/articles/genetically-modified-organisms-question-ethics-0