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Assessing Environmental Risks: Lessons From Superfund
Author(s) -
Nakamura Robert T.,
Church Thomas W.,
Mumpower Jeryl L.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
journal of contingencies and crisis management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.007
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1468-5973
pISSN - 0966-0879
DOI - 10.1111/j.1468-5973.1994.tb00036.x
Subject(s) - superfund , hazardous waste , risk assessment , environmental planning , risk analysis (engineering) , metric (unit) , environmental risk assessment , environmental impact assessment , engineering , business , waste management , political science , environmental science , operations management , computer science , computer security , law
This essay analyzes the use of risk assessment in Superfund, the controversial American hazardous waste cleanup programme. We argue that risk assessment has been used in three ways in discussing policy options in this programme: as a metric for assessing performance; as a means for resolving conflicts; and as a tool for comparing different environmental initiatives. Use of risk reduction as an analytical tool in European efforts to clean up hazardous waste sites is discussed. We conclude that while risk assessment has potential utility for each of these applications, there are also accompanying technical and political difficulties.