Whose Backyard, Whose Risk: Fear and Fairness in Toxic and Nuclear Waste Siting [Hardcover]

Michael B. Gerrard (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 27, 1994

In "Whose Backyard, Whose Risk", environmental lawyer, professor, and commentator Michael B. Gerrard tackles the thorny issue of how and where to dispose of hazardous and radioactive waste. Gerrard, who has represented dozens of municipalities and community groups that have fought landfills and incinerators, as well as companies seeking permits, analyzes a problem that has generated a tremendous amount of political conflict, emotional anguish and transaction costs. He proposes a new system of waste disposal that involves local control, state responsibility and national allocation to deal comprehensively with multiple waste streams. Gerrard draws on the literature of law, economics, political science, and other disciplines to analyze the domestic and international origins of wastes and their disposal patterns. Based on a study of the many failures and few successes of past siting efforts, he identifies the mistaken assumptions and policy blunders that have helped doom siting efforts. Gerrard first describes the different kinds of non-radioactive and radioactive wastes and how each is generated and disposed of. He explains historical and current siting decisions and considers the effects of the current mechanisms for making those decisions (including the hidden economics and psychology of the siting process). A typology of permit rules reveals the divergence between what underlies most siting disputes and what environmental laws actually protect. Gerrard then looks at proposals for dealing with the siting dilemma and examines the successes and failures of each. He outlines a new alternative for facility siting that combines a political solution and a legal framework for implementation. A hypothetical example of how a siting decision might be made in a particular case is presented in an epilogue.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Environmental attorney Gerrard has written a comprehensive book detailing the hazardous and radioactive waste (HW/RW) problem in America. His task is daunting: "how to find the system of HW/RW management that maximizes social welfare, taking full account of the social and environmental costs, while achieving fairness." Gerrard integrates political, scientific, psychological and economic considerations; advocates a balance of federal, state and local responsibility; and emphasizes grassroots incentives for siting, i.e., compensating communities to store toxic waste under rigidly controlled conditions. He does a superb job of distinguishing between real and perceived risks, recognizing that public perceptions of hazardous waste-siting options are as critical as a site's underlying geology. Although the style is dry, the book offers new insight into a critical environmental problem. Illustrations.
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

In this well-organized book, environmental lawyer Gerrard attempts to find a coherent way for the United States through the maze of concerns and legalities surrounding the disposal of toxic and radioactive waste. With our country leading by a large margin in the production of hazardous waste in the civilian sector, with "grandfathered landfills," with few to no new toxic waste sites being built, this is a dilemma that requires attention so that we do not impose a burden on future generations. Drawing on diverse literature, the author proposes a national system of waste disposal that includes local control, state responsibility, and national allocation. An epilog gives step-by-step examples of how a siting decision might be made employing this program in a hypothetical situation. Recommended for public and academic libraries and special environmental collections.
Diane M. Fortner, Univ. of California Lib., Berkeley
Copyright 1994 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 347 pages
• Publisher: The MIT Press; 1St Edition edition (October 27, 1994)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0262071606
• ISBN-13: 978-0262071604
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.1 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #3,924,116 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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