What should i do? I accidentally found out that my company is dumping chemicals into a river.?

Question

chemicals are very harmful to humans because it can cause cancer in the long run. My company has been dumping deadly chemical for about 18 months and the owners know about it. If i'll tell my boss then he might tell the owners and they would fire me right away. I plan to reture in 4 more years and i'm too old to quit and find a new job.

Answer 1

Are your paychecks drawn on the river's bank account?  Think about it.

Answer 2

If you are a professional (say an engineer), you have an obligation to inform your supervisors of the situation.  This should be done in writing.  Leaking such matters to the press is actually unethical.  You have the obligation to use the chain of command.  By doing so in writing, you have also established the matter in writing, which serves as stronger evidence than anonymous speculation if worse comes to worse.

Good luck, ethical quandaries can be tough.

Answer 3

You have a moral obligation to act. Someone may die because of your inaction.

Hope you have save enough for a early retirement.  

Answer 4

I won't advice a person on their own ethics but (assuming you're in the U.S.) you should know there is a whistleblower law that protects employees from being fired for reporting illegal activity to the authorities.  This law in will not prevent them from making your life h-e-double hockey stick to try to encourage you to quit, but they are limited in how far they can take that by harassment laws.

Answer 5

Report it anonymously. I don't know where you live, but maybe you're protected by unfair dismissal laws?

Answer 6

Call the U.S. EPA.  Keep in mind that you could possibly be put out of work if your company is shut down, but you have a moral obligation to do the right thing.

Answer 7

You can ANONYMOUSLY contact environmental health authorities. You can not let your company do this.

You can't put other peoples lives in danger.

Answer 8

Simply look up the enviromental enforcement department and send an annoyumous letter.

Don't lose your job over it, but it may get closed down you have to accept that they pay you off.

You don't say what country you are in.

Answer 9

call the police

Answer 10

just anonymously let the information get to the authorities normally big companies pay fines and don't go out of business and you maybe able to get early retirement if they have to lay some people off this really depends on the company on how it will effect you but if your only concern is you then i think you know what is the safe path for you but if you care about everything and everyone that goes into and drinks that river water you should probably tell the authorities you can always be a wal mart greeter.  

Answer 11

discretly let government know,it takes most of them 5 year studys to figure anything out anyway.

Answer 12

Be honest. Report to your seniors and let them know real situation if you are sure about the consequenses. Make sure they understand the hazzards thouroughly. let them know it may cause permanent damage to community and company as well in long run. Dont try to conclude. this is problem that is needed to be worked upon by your company. owners are answerable for consequences later thus if they aren't unaware of it they will respond you positively. Play safe, try to build opinion about this among your colleague, seniors. company is not one man army. it is team work. best of luck