A COMPARATIVE-ANALYSIS OF PUBLIC CONCERN OVER SOLID-WASTE INCINERATORS

Despite a recognized need for additional waste disposal capacity in ma ny communities, public concern over siting new facilities is at an all time high. There exists a substantial literature relating Not In My B ack Yard (NIMBY) reactions to siting proposals. However, much less is known about individual and community level impacts around existing fac ilities. This paper presents the results of a comparative analysis of psychosocial impacts (i.e. concern and distress) in two Canadian popul ations living in close proximity to municipal solid waste incinerators . Results show relatively low levels of impacts reported in both incin erator communities, contrary to what might be anticipated given the NI MBY literature. Determinants of impacts in the two communities highlig ht the need to recognize the role of community context in attempts to understand or mitigate impacts. Comparative analyses substantiate this finding, but also point to areas of similarity between the two commun ities studied. These and related findings have to date been incorporat ed into waste management decisions in local areas. However, additional comparative, as well as longitudinal, research is needed to fully und erstand how individuals and communities respond to waste facility siti ngs, and how these responses change over time.