Beyond NimbyBeyond Nimby

Hazardous Waste Siting in Canada Hazardous Waste Siting in Canada and the United Statesand the United States

Barry G. Rabe

What is Hazardous What is Hazardous Waste?Waste?

Hazardous waste is “a solid waste, or combination of Hazardous waste is “a solid waste, or combination of solid wastes, which because of its quantity, solid wastes, which because of its quantity, concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious concentration, or physical, chemical, or infectious characteristics, may cause or significantly contribute to characteristics, may cause or significantly contribute to an increase in mortality or an increase in serious an increase in mortality or an increase in serious irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or pose irreversible, or incapacitating reversible, illness; or pose a substantial present or potential hazard to human a substantial present or potential hazard to human health or the environment when improperly treated, health or the environment when improperly treated, stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise stored, transported, or disposed of, or otherwise managed.” managed.” ~Resource and Conservation and Recovery Act of ~Resource and Conservation and Recovery Act of 1976 (RCRA) 1976 (RCRA)

NIMBY: Not-In-My-NIMBY: Not-In-My-BackyardBackyard

What does NIMBY mean?What does NIMBY mean? The NIMBY response is not exclusive to The NIMBY response is not exclusive to

hazardous waste management. hazardous waste management. NIMBY is a collective goods problem.NIMBY is a collective goods problem.

Tell 'em what you're Tell 'em what you're gonna tell 'em. gonna tell 'em.

The Hazardous Waste CrisisThe Hazardous Waste Crisis The Nimby Phenomenon The Nimby Phenomenon What siting approaches What siting approaches have nothave not worked and worked and

why.why. -Regulatory Approach-Regulatory Approach -Market Approach-Market Approach

What siting approach What siting approach hashas worked and why. worked and why. -Voluntary Approach-Voluntary Approach

Contemporary waste managementContemporary waste management

The Hazardous Waste The Hazardous Waste CrisisCrisis

NIMBY ResistanceNIMBY Resistance Decreasing Number of Facilities Decreasing Number of Facilities

Long Distance TransportationLong Distance Transportation On-Site Waste DisposalOn-Site Waste Disposal

TransportationTransportation

SpillsSpills Public HealthPublic Health Clean-upClean-up

Fossil Fuel UseFossil Fuel Use

Mississauga ,OntarioMississauga ,Ontario

On-Site Disposal On-Site Disposal

Lack of State and Federal RegulationsLack of State and Federal Regulations

Larger Risk to PublicLarger Risk to Public

Greater Danger to the EnvironmentGreater Danger to the Environment

The NIMBY The NIMBY Phenomenon Phenomenon

People are afraid of contaminationPeople are afraid of contamination Reduced property valuesReduced property values Cities don’t want to deal with Cities don’t want to deal with importing waste from other importing waste from other states/provincesstates/provinces they are ugly and unaestheticthey are ugly and unaesthetic

Contamination WorriesContamination Worries

People are worried about:People are worried about: Air pollutionAir pollution Ground water contaminationGround water contamination Soil contaminationSoil contamination

Property Values Down the Property Values Down the DrainDrain

The property values of homes around the The property values of homes around the site may drop due to concerns of:site may drop due to concerns of:

Fear of contamination in the air, water, Fear of contamination in the air, water, and soiland soil

Fear of transportation vehicles spilling in Fear of transportation vehicles spilling in the vicinity of the plant the vicinity of the plant

Importation of hazardous Importation of hazardous wastewaste

Many people worry about the Many people worry about the transportation of hazardous waste on transportation of hazardous waste on their highway systems in regard to spills their highway systems in regard to spills and accidentsand accidents

Unaesthetic QualitiesUnaesthetic Qualities

Hazardous Waste Treatment Facilities are Hazardous Waste Treatment Facilities are not pretty.not pretty.

They sprawl over many acres of landThey sprawl over many acres of land They are tall and block aerial viewsThey are tall and block aerial views They detract from the natural qualities of They detract from the natural qualities of

the landthe land

Hazardous Waste Siting Hazardous Waste Siting ApproachesApproaches

Market Approach Market Approach Regulatory ApproachRegulatory Approach Voluntary ApproachVoluntary Approach

Market ApproachMarket ApproachWhy do state and provincial governments use Why do state and provincial governments use the market approach?the market approach?

Confines government role in waste Confines government role in waste management oversight management oversight

Traditional approach of private waste Traditional approach of private waste management management

Allows private waste management to use Allows private waste management to use large compensations to assuage the large compensations to assuage the community community

Market ApproachMarket Approachthe limits of compensation the limits of compensation

AssumptionAssumption: Compensation will convince : Compensation will convince communities to accept a hazardous communities to accept a hazardous waste site.waste site.

RealityReality: Compensation is not enough to : Compensation is not enough to convince communities to accept a convince communities to accept a hazardous waste site.hazardous waste site.

Massachusetts, U.SMassachusetts, U.S

Regulatory Approach Regulatory Approach Why do state and provincial governments use Why do state and provincial governments use

the regulatory approach?the regulatory approach?

State and provincial agencies know State and provincial agencies know about their waste management needs.about their waste management needs.

““Strong arm” approach thought to reduce Strong arm” approach thought to reduce public Nimby response.public Nimby response.

Regulatory ApproachRegulatory Approachthe limits of preemptionthe limits of preemption

Less democratic than Market and Less democratic than Market and Voluntary approachesVoluntary approaches

““Strong arm” of politics prevents public Strong arm” of politics prevents public participationparticipation

Florida, USFlorida, US

Voluntary ApproachVoluntary Approachkey aspects to a successful approachkey aspects to a successful approach

Institutional ReformInstitutional Reform Begin a DialogueBegin a Dialogue Reduce WasteReduce Waste VolunteerismVolunteerism Burden SharingBurden Sharing

Institutional ReformInstitutional Reform

CredibilityCredibility Promote Volunteerism Promote Volunteerism Comprehensive Long-term facility Comprehensive Long-term facility

management planmanagement plan

Alberta and ManitobaAlberta and Manitoba Crown CorporationCrown Corporation Liaison Committees Liaison Committees

Begin a DialogueBegin a Dialogue

Begin the dialogue with site candidates Begin the dialogue with site candidates rightright awayaway

Inform and educate the people before Inform and educate the people before beginningbeginning

Let the people Let the people bebe (not feel) involved (not feel) involved Give the people various outlets to give their Give the people various outlets to give their

opinionsopinions This concept has worked for sites in Alberta This concept has worked for sites in Alberta

and Minnesotaand Minnesota

Dialogue at the Dialogue at the beginningbeginning

Right from the start, get the people Right from the start, get the people involvedinvolved

While seeking sites, let the people know While seeking sites, let the people know what is going onwhat is going on

Get opinions from the people of the Get opinions from the people of the towns on where they might like to see a towns on where they might like to see a facilityfacility

Inform and EducateInform and Educate

Teach people what hazardous waste isTeach people what hazardous waste is Explain that the facilities are much safer Explain that the facilities are much safer

than they soundthan they sound Show the people what good things can Show the people what good things can

come from the facility “coming to town”come from the facility “coming to town”

Involving the PeopleInvolving the People

Right away get the people involvedRight away get the people involved Let them decide the general vicinity of where Let them decide the general vicinity of where

the plant should go (for example)the plant should go (for example) Let the people know their opinions are Let the people know their opinions are

important as wellimportant as well Don’t go into town and say, “This is where we Don’t go into town and say, “This is where we

are putting the facility and it doesn’t matter are putting the facility and it doesn’t matter what you say.”what you say.”

Don’t promise the people something and then Don’t promise the people something and then not follow throughnot follow through

Unique opportunities to Unique opportunities to speak outspeak out

Give the people various opportunities to voice Give the people various opportunities to voice their opinionstheir opinions

Give them large town meetings where Give them large town meetings where everyone can be heardeveryone can be heard

But also give them smaller, more intimate But also give them smaller, more intimate avenues as well (be it many smaller meetings avenues as well (be it many smaller meetings or individual meetings if need be)or individual meetings if need be)

One town went so far as to call all the residents One town went so far as to call all the residents in the town so that they could voice their own in the town so that they could voice their own opinionsopinions

Paper ballots and surveys are also helpful Paper ballots and surveys are also helpful

Victorious sitingsVictorious sitings

This principle of letting the people be This principle of letting the people be involved from the get-go has been involved from the get-go has been victorious in several different victorious in several different states/provinces including:states/provinces including:

Alberta at the Swan Hills facilityAlberta at the Swan Hills facility And in Minnesota (to an extent)And in Minnesota (to an extent)

Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste Reduction – The MessageReduction – The Message

The 4 R’s of Hazardous WasteThe 4 R’s of Hazardous Waste ReductionReduction Reuse Reuse RecycleRecycle RecoveryRecovery

Prior Commitment Prior Commitment ““emphasis on optimum source reduction prior to any planning for emphasis on optimum source reduction prior to any planning for

facility location is significant.”facility location is significant.” -policy analyst Michael Heiman -policy analyst Michael Heiman

Integration Integration

Technologies and Innovations Technologies and Innovations

Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste Reduction Success: Reduction Success: ManitobaManitoba

Generator Service ProgramGenerator Service Program

On-Site ProgramOn-Site Program

Waste Audits Waste Audits

MWE MWE (Manitoba Waste Exchange)(Manitoba Waste Exchange)

Educational and Informational Materials Educational and Informational Materials

Hazardous Waste Hazardous Waste Reduction Success: Reduction Success: Minnesota Minnesota

MnTAP MnTAP (Minnesota Technical Assistance Program)(Minnesota Technical Assistance Program) Minnesota Toxic Pollution Prevention ActMinnesota Toxic Pollution Prevention Act

Cross Media TransfersCross Media Transfers Chemical ReleasesChemical Releases Toxic Pollution Prevention PlansToxic Pollution Prevention Plans

Fees on Toxic SubstancesFees on Toxic Substances Comprehensive Medium InspectionsComprehensive Medium Inspections Broader definition of Hazardous WastesBroader definition of Hazardous Wastes Results?Results?

35% drop in state generated waste between 1988 and 199235% drop in state generated waste between 1988 and 1992

VolunteerismVolunteerism

Public holds ultimate decision-making Public holds ultimate decision-making power.power.

Take time to fully explore waste problem.Take time to fully explore waste problem. Integrated with other successful factors.Integrated with other successful factors. Alberta, CanadaAlberta, Canada

Burden Sharing Burden Sharing

Unfair distributionUnfair distribution Geographic RegionsGeographic Regions Socio-economic RegionsSocio-economic Regions

Connection to VolunteerismConnection to Volunteerism Policy on out-of-state wastePolicy on out-of-state waste Compacts Compacts ““Shining” ExamplesShining” Examples

AlbertaAlberta ManitobaManitoba

Alberta and ManitobaAlberta and Manitoba

Import ControlImport Control State/ProvinceState/Province NationalNational Option to ReconsiderOption to Reconsider

Regional Storage FacilitiesRegional Storage Facilities

Special Case: North Carolina Special Case: North Carolina Limited CapabilitiesLimited Capabilities

Contemporary Waste Contemporary Waste ManagementManagement

Swan Hills in AlbertaSwan Hills in Alberta OntarioOntario MinnesotaMinnesota North AmericaNorth America

Swan HillsSwan Hills

Since beginning operation in the mid 80s, the Since beginning operation in the mid 80s, the facility has expanded to include the following: facility has expanded to include the following: an incinerator physical/chemical treatment an incinerator physical/chemical treatment plant, a stabilization plant, a secure landfill, a plant, a stabilization plant, a secure landfill, a deep injection well, a waste receiving/storage deep injection well, a waste receiving/storage area, two Von Roll rocking kilns, and a rotary area, two Von Roll rocking kilns, and a rotary kiln incinerator kiln incinerator

It has also starting taking in waste from outside It has also starting taking in waste from outside sources sources

OntarioOntario

While Ontario failed in the past to get a While Ontario failed in the past to get a hazardous waste treatment facility, it is hazardous waste treatment facility, it is now working very closely with the now working very closely with the Canadian government to get a facility Canadian government to get a facility that will be considerably larger than that will be considerably larger than Alberta’s Swan Hill facility Alberta’s Swan Hill facility

MinnesotaMinnesota

As you have learned, Minnesota did not As you have learned, Minnesota did not get a facility in the 1980s, because they get a facility in the 1980s, because they chose to focus on the preventing waste chose to focus on the preventing waste aspect; however they are now working aspect; however they are now working with the EPA in hopes of getting their with the EPA in hopes of getting their own facility own facility

North American FacilitiesNorth American Facilities

There are now 367 hazardous waste There are now 367 hazardous waste recycling/treatment/disposal facilities in recycling/treatment/disposal facilities in North AmericaNorth America

Since this data has been kept, that Since this data has been kept, that number has been steadily dropping (over number has been steadily dropping (over the past 20 years)the past 20 years)

Then tell 'em what you Then tell 'em what you told 'emtold 'em

The Hazardous Waste CrisisThe Hazardous Waste Crisis The Nimby Phenomenon The Nimby Phenomenon What siting approaches What siting approaches have nothave not worked and worked and

why.why. --Regulatory ApproachRegulatory Approach --Market ApproachMarket Approach What siting approach What siting approach hashas worked and why. worked and why. -Voluntary Approach-Voluntary Approach Contemporary waste managementContemporary waste management

Then tell 'em what you Then tell 'em what you told 'emtold 'em

5 key factors to the Voluntary Approach5 key factors to the Voluntary Approach Institutional ReformInstitutional Reform Begin a DialogueBegin a Dialogue Reduce WasteReduce Waste VolunteerismVolunteerism Burden SharingBurden Sharing

Other interesting pointsOther interesting points

FederalismFederalism

Integration approachIntegration approach

Positive political sciencePositive political science