Green Crusaders or Captives of Industry? : The British Alkali Inspectorate and the Ethics of Environmental Decision Making, 1864-95

Abstract

The enforcement of the alkali acts by the chief inspectors Robert Angus Smith (1817-84) and Alfred Evans Fletcher (1827-1920) indicates how scientific ideals of neutrality and impartiality were placed under strain by their state-sanctioned role as arbitrators between environmental and industrial interests. Previously unused or unexploited sources reveal the precise ways in which they sought to resolve the conflicts between 'muck and brass' intrinsic to environmental regulation and illustrate the value-laden and discretionary implementation of scientific public policy. Through an analysis of the ethical considerations and decision-making strategies of the first chief alkali inspectors this study highlights the social negotiation of regulatory science and shows the extent to which the cultural values of actors can shape the implementation of technical policy