The Strength of Ethical Matrixes as a Tool for Normative Analysis Related to Technological Choices: The Case of Geological Disposal for Radioactive Waste | Science and Engineering Ethics
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The Strength of Ethical Matrixes as a Tool for Normative Analysis Related to Technological Choices: The Case of Geological Disposal for Radioactive Waste

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Abstract

The ethical matrix is a participatory tool designed to structure ethical reflection about the design, the introduction, the development or the use of technologies. Its collective implementation, in the context of participatory decision-making, has shown its potential usefulness. On the contrary, its implementation by a single researcher has not been thoroughly analyzed. The aim of this paper is precisely to assess the strength of ethical matrixes implemented by a single researcher as a tool for conceptual normative analysis related to technological choices. Therefore, the ethical matrix framework is applied to the management of high-level radioactive waste, more specifically to retrievable and non-retrievable geological disposal. The results of this analysis show that the usefulness of ethical matrixes is twofold and that they provide a valuable input for further decision-making. Indeed, by using ethical matrixes, implicit ethically relevant issues were revealed—namely issues of equity associated with health impacts and differences between close and remote future generations regarding ethical impacts. Moreover, the ethical matrix framework was helpful in synthesizing and comparing systematically the ethical impacts of the technologies under scrutiny, and hence in highlighting the potential ethical conflicts.

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Notes

  1. This participatory process can be implemented from a “top-down” perspective, with participants giving their opinion about each cell of the pre-defined matrix (Gamborg 2002), or it can be implemented from a “bottom-up” perspective, with participants having the possibility to really construct the matrix by determining the stakeholders and ethical principles they consider to be relevant (Kaiser et al. 2007).

  2. Some stakeholders, who share the same values and interests or the same function, are grouped for practical reasons when implementing the matrix. Among these, NGOs are considered with the groups they are defending the interests—most commonly local communities or the environment. The same goes for professional organizations such as unions and associations who are defending workers’ interests.

  3. The following analysis is a brief synthesis of (Kermisch et al. 2016).

  4. Our point here is that workers are one of the least well-off groups, but that is “only” with respect to the health impact. It is important to keep in mind that well-being cannot be reduced to health and that, for a global analysis of the well-being of workers, it would be necessary to balance heath impact with other factors such as economic well-being.

  5. If the matrix were to be used as a support for decision-making, then it would be necessary to balance the different ethically relevant issues associated with equity—health impacts and wage compensations, most notably—in order to determine the fairest option in general (and not only with respect to the health impact). However, in this study, the aim was not to weigh the different factors to be taken into account, but rather, to see if some issues were still in need of an in-depth analysis. Hence, the further step of balancing the different factors was not made in order to avoid to take a stand about whether health issues can or cannot be compensated financially, which is a question that would require a separate paper. Finally, as mentionned previously, the issue of compensation in itself was not thoroughly studied insofar as compensation is more related to the decision process than to the technical options. Therefore compensation is not a discriminating issue when comparing the different management options.

  6. The following analysis is a brief synthesis of (Kermisch 2016).

  7. This qualitative indicator is chosen, insofar as the aim of that paper was not to provide a quantitative assessment of safety for the different HLRW management options—which would have been unrealistic without reference to a specific project and location.

  8. For a thorough analysis of weaknesses of the matrix, see (Cotton 2009a, b; Kaiser et al. 2007; Schroeder and Palmer 2003).

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Acknowledgements

This work has been supported by the Organisme National des Déchets Radioactifs et desmatières Fissiles enrichies–Nationale Instelling voor Radioactief Afval en verrijkte Splijtstoffen (ONDRAF/NIRAS, Belgium) and the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). The authors wish to express special thanks to two anonymous reviewers who provided very thoughtful input for our reflection.

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  1. Centre de Recherches Interdisciplinaires en Bioéthique, Service de Métrologie Nucléaire, Université Libre de Bruxelles (ULB), 50 av. F. D. Roosevelt (CP165/84), 1050, Brussels, Belgium

    Céline Kermisch

  2. Organisme National des Déchets Radioactifs et des Matières Fissiles Enrichies (ONDRAF/NIRAS), Avenue des Arts 14, 1210, Brussels, Belgium

    Christophe Depaus

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  1. Céline Kermisch
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Correspondence to Céline Kermisch.

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Kermisch, C., Depaus, C. The Strength of Ethical Matrixes as a Tool for Normative Analysis Related to Technological Choices: The Case of Geological Disposal for Radioactive Waste. Sci Eng Ethics 24, 29–48 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11948-017-9882-6

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