Social aspects of the siting of facilities for hazardous waste management

Abstract

A conflict arises when some groups interpret a siting as a pos sibility while others see it as constituting a risk. The actors involved are faced with various problems regarding decision- making. What, for the government, can be a solution to an environmental problem can be seen by the people living in the area in question as a threat to their health and immediate environment. This article discusses the possibility of creating a dialogue between various actors involved in a siting conflict. It is stated that the dialogue should be democratic and based on knowledge: siting has political dimensions, and therefore it is important that citizens have the possibility of participating in the decision-making process. In addition, by allowing sev eral different perspectives to influence a siting decision, more knowledge is created about the proposal. In conclusion, the paper gives some general advice concerning how such a dia logue can be brought about. A dialogue can fail, but the chance of a good solution increases if a dialogue is encouraged to proceed.