Public Participation in Hazard Management: The Use of Citizen Panels in the U.S.

Americans increasingly question decisions of professional risk managers. This trend is most apparent in the areas of nuclear, hazardous chemical and solid waste management. Professionals and the general public strongly disagree about the seriousness of many risks. The professionals use the expected losses per time unit as the major yardstick to evaluate risks. The public is more concerned about long term effects, inequitable siting, lack of personal control, and the pace of technological diffusion into their cultural environment. Citizens also distrust the ability to monitor and control unintended consequences. Decision making should assure that risk management is both efficient and sensitive to public concerns. This paper discusses a novel way to meet both needs. The model was developed in West Germany and, after some alterations, was first applied in the U.S. in a sludge disposal question in New Jersey.