TRP Chapter 2.4 1

Chapter 2.4 Public awareness and

communication

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Communicating with the publicDifferent terminology

•Public communication

•Public information

•Stakeholder dialogue

•Public consultation

•Awareness raising

•Public education programmes

•Public involvement

•Public participation

Same objective

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Public concerns in general

•Fear of damage to health

•Effects on quality of life

•Damage to natural environment

•Lack of trust in responsible authorities

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Public concerns about a specific development

•Health concerns

•Impacts on local amenities

•Impacts on property values

•Transport impacts

•Effects on quality of life

•Nuisance from noise, dust etc

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Need for public awareness raising in

developing economies

Press cutting from Sunday Navhind Times, Goa

7 April 2002

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Case study: Successful community action, Taiwan

Proposal in 2001 by EPA to build a 78 hectare disposal site for industrial waste

Community was concerned that the construction would damage local economic development

Petition submitted to EPA saying that residents were against the establishment of such a site

EPA agreed not to proceed without community acceptance

Site was relocated

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Case study: Public opposition to mercury disposal in India

Community concern about a thermometer factory and scrap yard in a dense urban area

Allegations that mercury-contaminated waste stored in open, frequented by barefoot, unprotected workers

Wastes also illegally dumped on slopes of area officially designated a sanctuary area

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Raising public awareness•Hazardous waste management is itself an environmental protection measure

•Need to raise public awareness and understanding

•Public information campaigns are costly - they require:

•funds

•skilled staff

•time

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Who is the public?

•Also known as ‘stakeholders’: all of those who have rights, responsibilities and interests

•Everyone but in particular:•Neighbours of waste generating industry •Neighbours of treatment or disposal facility•National and local environmental campaigning bodies

•Local land users eg farmers, horticulturalists, allotment owners, gardeners, fishermen, forestry workers

•Schools and play groups•Local community and religious groups

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Specific groups to be informed

• Politicians, local and national

• Print and broadcast media

• Waste generators

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Why raise public’s awareness?

•To increase their trust

•To provide accurate information

•To convey their own responsibilities as waste generators

•To get support for national waste strategies and especially a hazardous waste management programme

•To get local acceptance of necessary facilities required by that strategy

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Another reason to inform the public

To comply with the Aarhus Convention

•UN Convention on access to information, public participation in decision-making and access to justice in environmental matters

•Came into force October 2001

•To date 19 countries are party to the convention

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Who should undertake public information and communication?

•International bodies eg WHO, UNEP

•National governments

•Local/regional government

•Waste industry

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How to inform and communicate with the public?

•Use a variety of methods as ‘public’ is mixed:

•Be clear about objectives

•Identify audience groups

•Identify message(s)

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Need for diverse methods

• passive information provision eg posters, leaflets, newsletters, media/radio, web sites

• active seeking of public views eg surveys, workshops, telephone hot lines

• participative forums eg citizens juries, local advisory groups

Need information appropriate to audience eg non-technical for layman

Use of Internet increasing

Some methods suited to conveying information and acquiring stakeholder views, some suited to dialogue

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When to involve the public?

•When a hazardous waste strategy for the region or city is being devised

•When contracts for hazardous waste collection and/or disposal are being negotiated

•When planning applications are made for waste treatment and disposal sites

•When licensing or operating permits are applied for

AIM: to increase public understanding of the issues and acceptance of necessary facilities

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NIMBY

Some of the acronyms used to describe public attitudes:

NIMBY = Not In My Back Yard

LULU = Locally Unacceptable Land Use

NIMTOO = Not In My Term Of Office

BANANA = Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anyone

… and one used by the public to describe industry’s approach:

CATNIP = Cheapest Available Technology Not Involving Prosecution

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Average costs of different approaches

Low cost:

•Leaflets and posters

•Surveys– telephone, postal, targeted groups

Medium cost:

•Panels and focus groups•Citizens’ juries

High cost: •Local advisory groups

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Information for other stakeholders

Different stakeholders need different information eg industry, policy makers

Sector-specific information targeted at:

•major hazardous waste generators

•small scale generators

Waste minimisation initiatives

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Chapter 2.4 Summary

• Different terms, same objective

• improving the public’s awareness of, and participation in, hazardous waste management issues

• Common public concerns

• Case studies of public opposition

• Diversity of ‘the public’

• Why involve them, who should do it, how and when

• Targeting specific sectors eg waste generators