Risk Assessment Information as Input to Public Decision-Making
Provision of Comprehensive, Probabilistic Risk Assessment Methods
Application of Risk Communication Framework for Risk Analysis
In 1994, Drs. John Shortreed, Frank Saccomanno of the University
of Waterloo and Dr. Stephen Ramsay of the University of Western Ontario
completed a comprehensive, probabilistic transportation risk assessment
study for the Alberta Special Waste Management System. The report
documents the risks of transporting wastes to the Swan Hills Treatment
Centre of Chem- Security (Alberta) Ltd. In the study, Review of the
Transportation Risk Assessment Submitted by Chem-Security (Alberta)
Ltd. for Proposed Expansion of Swan Hills Waste Treatment Centre,
the IRR introduced a number of innovative risk analysis and risk
management techniques that attempted to provide decision-makers (in
this case AlbertaUs Natural Resources Conservation Board) with a
basis for the assessment of risks including the effects of changes
in operating procedures, changes in travel routes, and changes in
waste composition. The risk analysis innovations described in the
contract report include:
Presentation of the risk analysis
in a "risk communication" framework
(i.e., 10 key questions Albertans wanted answered);
Accurate representation of the waste streams, avoiding the use of "worst
case" assumptions;
Analysis of accident rates based on estimates for individual road
sections using a province wide accident analysis;
Use of probabilistic analysis rather than expected value analysis;
and
Development of a family of consequence models that can deal with
many waste streams and many different accident situations.
Assessing Potential Health Impacts of Environmental Airborne Emissions
Detailed Multi-Pathway Exposure Assessment of Environmental Airborne
Emissions
Independent Review of Assessment
Risk Assessment of Dioxin and Furan Emissions
In April 1994, Dr. John Hicks
of Ryerson Polytechnic University and Dr. Steve McColl of the University
of Waterloo completed
a contract
on Risk Assessment of Dioxin & Furan Emissions from the Elk Falls
Power Boiler. This study, Health Risk Assessment of Airborne Dioxin
and Furan Emissions at the Elk Falls Pulp Mill, evaluates the health
risk to local populations from exposure to airborne emissions of
dioxins and furans from the No. 5 power boiler at the Fletcher Challenge
Canada pulpmill in Elk Falls, British Columbia. The study was co-funded
by: Natural Resources Canada (Program on Energy Research and Development);
Environment Canada; and Health Canada. The IRR work has lead to a
subsequent research contract with Health Canada to examine "Probabilistic
Risk Assessment and Uncertainty Analysis of Emissions of PCBs, PAHs,
and PM10 from the Elk Falls Power Boiler".
In March 1995, Dr. John Hicks
of Ryerson Polytechnic University and Dr. Steve McColl of the University
of Waterloo completed
an "Exposure
Assessment of Airborne Dioxins and Furans Emitted from the EDC/VCM
Facility at the Dow Chemical Canada Fort Saskatchewan Site" to
determine the potential for human health effects on populations in
the vicinity of the plant. Exposure was estimated from dispersion
modelling and consideration of background exposure from environmental
and food sources. The IRR report also discusses the difficulties
in assessing human health effects given the controversy regarding
dioxin toxicity. The exposure resulting from the plant was compared
to background sources and regulatory exposure standards.
In the aforementioned exposure
modelling study the exposure of local livestock was not examined
as original queries
indicated that the
were only grains and rapeseed oil harvested in the vicinity of the
Dow facility. An external reviewer of the exposure assessment study
suggested that pathways for exposure to dioxins/furans from consumption
of agricultural produce need to be addressed. A modelling study ("Preliminary
Characterization of Agricultural Dioxin Exposure") was commissioned
by Dow Chemical Canada Ltd. to provide the first approximation predicted
values for agricultural exposure to dioxins and furans from the Dow
facility.
Balancing Risks, Costs, and Benefits of Hazardous
and Solid Waste
Integrated approach to hazardous and solid waste management
In 1992, the Canadian Battery Manufacturer's Association funded IRR
to undertake an independent investigation into the impacts of used
household battery disposal and management practices on the environment,
including an evaluation of the potential risks associated with the
identified options. Dr. Murray Haight lead the interdisciplinary
IRR team that produced the report Assessing the Environmental Effects
of Disposal Alternatives for Household Batteries. The report discusses
the issues relating to used dry-cell battery disposal practices,
their potential impacts on the environment, the potential risks to
humans, and offers recommendations for what is considered as acceptable
disposal practices for used household batteries.
In 1991, Dr. Daniel Duah completed
a risk-cost-benefit assessment of the economic and environmental
implications of the
toxic/hazardous
waste trade on West Africa while on a World Bank Fellowship. His
policy report "The Economic and Environmental Implications of
the Hazardous Waste Trade on West Africa" presents the results
of an investigation of the potential environmental and economic impacts
to developing communities from indiscriminate disposal of hazardous
wastes; the special focus is on West Africa. The investigation was
designed to provide the necessary tools to help answer the question: "Should
the toxic/hazardous waste trade be encouraged, and under what terms
or circumstances should it be approved?"
Another important contribution to waste management is the IRR publication
Municipal Solid Waste Management: Making Decisions in the Face of
Uncertainty. This volume is intended to assist those involved in
the decision-making process for municipal solid waste management
in selecting effective, integrative management strategies. The various
options (landfilling, combustion and the 3R's) are evaluated from
risk assessment and risk management perspectives. The health and
environmental risks, economic implications, principles of operation
and future directions of each of these municipal solid waste management
strategies are explored. The contributions are from various professions
including industry, government departments, consultants and academia.
Their treatment of the issues addresses the needs of other professionals
as well as those of the public in general.
Ineffective and Inefficient Allocation
of Public Resources for Health and Safety
Development of a framework and index to evaluate health and
safety policy
IRR has examined general policy areas. For example, Drs. Niels Lind,
Jatin Nathwani, and Ernest Siddall developed an analysis framework
for better resource allocation in characterizing and managing risks
in the public interest (Lind et al., 1991) and then applied the framework
to energy production (Nathwani et al., 1992). The framework employs
indicators of social well being developed by the United Nations.
Subsequent work by Nathwani and Pandey has lead to the refinement
of the life-quality approach. We have made continuous improvement
in reaching our goal of having a rational, workable and acceptable
method for expressing the Public Interest in issues such as: nuclear
energy; siting of chemical plants; safety of consumer products; and
provision of health care.
Ineffective Risk Communication
Decision-Making Processes that Yield Unstable Solutions
Poor Integration of Science into Risk Policy
Effective Risk Communication
The Institute's 1989 book Prospects and Problems in Risk Communication
edited by W. Leiss is in its second printing and remains the only
Canadian text on this topic. The articles in this book cover a wide
range of current issues in risk communication. These include: a comprehensive
review of the obstacles that have been encountered in communicating
risk management controversies in North America; analyses of the distinction
between technical risk and perceived risk; reviews of communication
case studies, controversies, and practices involving Canadian government
departments; studies on the place of quantitative risk assessment
results in effective risk communication practices; and recommendations
for improving current policies and practices. The contributors are
from various professions - the media, industry, government departments,
consultants, and academic fields. Their treatment of these issues
addresses the needs of other professionals in these areas as well
as those of the public in general.
Consensus Approaches to Decision Making
Dr. William Leiss' 1992 report Multi-Stakeholder Negotiation in Environmental
Controversies: The Case of Antisapstain Chemicals in the British
Columbia Wood Products Industry, documents the background, process,
outcome and implications of a new approach used to resolve an environmental
controversy concerning antisapstain chemicals used to control the
growth of mold on freshly-cut lumber in the wood products industry.
This approach resulted in a consensus agreement among the major
stakeholders (labour, industry, government, environmental groups)
and provides an important case study of toxic chemical risk management
in Canada.
Ensuring Value Assumptions in Risk Assessment are Explicit
In their 1991 publication "Value Assumptions in Risk Assessment",
Drs. Haworth, Brunk, and Lee, explore the value aspects of risk assessment
through a case study of the alachlor pesticide controversy. This
book brings to light various problems public policymakers encounter
as they grapple with recommendations from scientific advisors.
Eastern Arctic Eco-Research Project
The Institute has received a 3 year grant under the Canadian Tri-Council
Eco-Research program for a project dealing with environmental contaminants
in Northern Quebec and Labrador. The overall objectives of the research
program are to document the effects of exposure to environmental
contaminants in Nunavik and Labrador on human health, including impacts
on the quality of life of the Inuit, and to develop a risk management
framework in collaboration with Inuit groups. The Institute's study
of the risk management aspects of the problem is one of nine sub-projects
on health (animal and human), socio-economic impacts and risk management
issues involving researchers from Memorial University of Newfoundland,
Manitoba, Waterloo, UQAR and Laval. The research program is under
the direction of principal investigator Dr. Eric Dewailly of Laval
and the Quebec Centre for Public Health. The risk management research project involves: Dr.
Eric Dewailly, Director, Quebec Centre for Public Health;
Dr. Robbie Keith, Environment and Resource Studies, UW;
Dr. John Shortreed, Civil Engineering, UW;
Lorraine Craig, IRR; and
Chris Furgal, Urban Planning, UW
The purpose of the risk management research project is to enhance
the decision-making capacity of regional and community organizations
in Nunavik and Labrador to deal effectively with the many aspects
of contaminants exposure, effects and impacts.
Phase I
Phase I of the project consisted of workshops held January 16 - 19,
1995 in Kuujjuaq, Quebec and Nain, Labrador in order to understand
community and regional perspectives on contaminant issues and to
involve Inuit groups and regional organizations in the planning
and process of the Eco-Research sub-projects. A report on the workshops
is available
Phase II
Phase II involves the development of specific project/site activities
that evolve from the workshop discussions. The risk management research
team will be working closely with the steering committees in Nunavik
and Labrador to define and implement the research strategy.
Phase III
Phase III will conclude the research project with publication of
a resource document which summarizes the results of the sub-projects
in a plain language fact sheet format. The purpose of the document
is to enhance the capacity of organizations, particularly those in
Nunavik and Labrador, to communicate more effectively on food chain
contaminant issues.
Phase I -
Year 1 Progress Report -
Research Undertaken to Date
The first risk management workshops were held in Kuujjuaq, Quebec
January 16 -17, 1995 and Nain, Labrador January 18-19, which brought
together the principal investigator and researchers from the nine
Eco-research subprojects, the project steering committee, field co-ordinators
and key members of the community from Nunavik and Labrador. The purpose
of the workshops was to provide an opportunity for discussion on
contaminants andgeneral environmental health concerns among Inuit
representative, regional decision-makers and researchers and to introduce
and discuss the Eco-research sub-projects. The workshops were the
first activity of the risk management project which aims to enhance
the capacity of communities in Nunavik and Labrador to manage the
impacts of environmental contaminants on their health and lifestyles.
Results Obtained
A $10,000 contribution from Health Canada towards the workshop travel
expenses allowed the workshop to be held in two locations, which
was critical in view of the major differences between the regions
of Nunavik and Labrador. In addition to co-funding the workshop,
Health Canada also provided a representative, Dr. Frank Iverson,
to attend the workshop in Kuujjuaq.
The workshop successfully provided a forum for active
discussion, in which Northerners expressed their concerns, perspectives
and needs
in relation to local and regional environmental contaminant issues
and made queries and comments concerning the Eco-research projects.
Some of the new issues raised by the workshop participants included:
- need for background information on contaminants, including sources
and effects on humans and wildlife
- need for information on the health of the caribou
- need for information on the benefits of eating country food and
the risks of eating store bought food
- importance of culturally appropriate communication concerning the
Eco-research project and the research results
The ideas expressed at the workshops will assist researchers in structuring
their research activities, and planning implementation and communication
strategies at the community and regional levels. In some cases, this
has meant exploring the feasibility of extending the scope of the
studies to include communities in Labrador as well as Nunavik (i.e.
Duhaime study, Pellerin-Massicotte study).
The workshops also provided an opportunity for discussion among
researchers, to explore ways to integrate the various subprojects
and improve access to one another's data.
A draft report on the proceedings of the Risk Management workshops
has been distributed to all in attendance at the workshops. Field
co-ordinators have been requested to communicate the information
in the document to non-English speaking participants. The draft report
will be amended based on comments received from the workshop participants.
An additional $5,000.00 has been requested from Health Canada for
publication, promotion, and distribution of the final workshop report,
Inuit Perspectives on Environmental Contaminants. The report will
provide an important example of the application of the risk management
approach to community-based studies on contaminants and will be a
resource document for researchers planning studies on contaminants
in the North. The final report will be prefaced with a summary of
the workshop translated into Inuktitut.
Current Activities
The risk management team is currently developing a proposal for co-funding
of specific community-based initiatives for years 2 and 3 of the project.
The research objectives have been organized according to the following
three themes:
Theme 1: Contaminants in the ECA: Developing an Adaptive Risk Management
Strategy
to document the characteristics of Nunavik and Labrador that require
adaptations to components of the traditional risk management approach
to integrate Inuit perspectives on ecosystem contaminants by adapting
the risk management study framework
to assist in the development of a culturally appropriate information
network on contaminants issues to meet the needs of residents and
organizations in these regions
Theme 2: Measures and Indicators of Community Empowerment
to identify indicators to measure the effectiveness of the risk management
process in Nunavik and Labrador
Theme 3: Evaluation of the Risk Management process in Nunavik and
Labrador
To evaluate the risk management process in terms of its ability to
:
-
link researchers, Inuit groups and regional decisionmakers;
- enhance the capacity of the Inuit to understand and manage the
risks of contaminants in the food chain;
- incorporate the needs, issues and concerns of the Inuit into the
Eco- research project;
- integrate the results of the sub-projects in a way which is useful
for decisionmakers.
The risk management team is currently preparing a paper on Empowering
Communities through Risk Management for submission to the journal
Arctic. The paper will document the application of the risk management
process to the study of contaminants in the North.
Training opportunities offered
The project provided training support for Chris Furgal, a graduate
student in the School of Urban Planning at the University of Waterloo.
Chris has a M.Sc. degree in Biology and began a Ph.D. program in
January. He studied Decision Making Capacity in Northern Communities
as his thesis topic under the supervision of Dr. Robbie Keith of
the Department of Environment and Resource Studies.
Phase II -
Year 1 Progress Report -
Research to Date and Results
Objectives
This project is the integrative component of the Avativut/Ilusivut
(Eco-Research) Program. The project seeks to strengthen linkages
between Inuit communities, local and regional decision-makers, Inuit
groups and researchers. The primary objective of this research project
is to enhance the decision-making capacity of individuals, community
and regional organizations in Nunavik and Labrador to deal effectively
with the issue of contaminants in country food. The project seeks
to accomplish this through the following activities:
Implementation and adaptation of the risk management framework to
link both Inuit and scientific perspectives and decision-making processes
on ecosystem contaminants.
Development of a risk communication document to assist decision-makers
n the regions of Nunavik and Labrador. The document will integrate
the results of the Avativut/Ilusivut research program with other
scientific and indigenous information.
Activities to Date and Results
Briefly, in review, the Year 1 Risk Management Workshops held in
Kuujjuaq, Québec and Nain, Labrador in January 1995 brought
together Eco-researchers, local and regional decision-makers and
Inuit residents of Nain and Labrador. The workshop discussions resulted
in the identification of deficiencies in the scope and conceptualization
of the research program. These identified limitations, namely the
absence of a study to provide information on caribou health and the
narrow focus of the program towards risks of country food diets without
consideration of benefits, resulted in a subsequent adaptation of
the research program. A caribou health study has been initiated with
funding from Hydro Québec and studies assessing Inuit perceptions
of the risks of country food diets have been broadened to determine
cultural, social, economic and health benefits. This shift in contaminants
risk management and communications towards a balancing of benefits
and risks reflects recent findings from other country food contaminants
research initiatives. A recent report by the Inuit Tapirisat of Canada,
entitled "Communicating about Contaminants in Country Food:
The Experience in Aboriginal Communities" (Usher, 1995) identifies
the need for health authorities to assess the benefits of country
food and weigh these against the health risks of exposure to contaminants
when developing health advisories. Recommendations from contaminant
workshops organized by the Department of Health and Social Services
in the Northwest Territories have included the need to discuss both
health risks and benefits in contaminant communications. The final
report of the Risk Management workshops was published with financial
assistance from Health Canada and distributed to workshop participants,
following a process of review and revision by those in attendance
in Nunavik and Labrador.
Year 2 project activities focused
on further assessing Inuit needs and perceptions on contaminant
issues through
interviews and observations
conducted by Chris Furgal during the introduction of the Eco-Research
program in the community of Kangiqsujuaq in July 1995. Interviews
were also conducted with Nunavik Regional Board of Health and Social
Services (NRBHSS) and Makivik Corporation to obtain feedback on the
Eco-Research risk management workshops. Meetings were held with the
Regional co-ordinators in Nunavik and Labrador (Lucy Grey and Katie
Harris) to assess community needs, provide consultation on approaches
for introducing the Eco-Research program in the communities, and
obtain feedback on the Risk Management workshops. The common theme
arising from the discussions was the need for improved collaboration
between researchers and communities during the course of research
studies and better communication of results following the completion
of studies. Robbie Keith participated in a "Workshop on Social
Health and Environmental Change" held in Nain in March 1996.
Chris Furgal has strengthened collaborative links with researchers
undertaking contaminants risk management activities in other regions
of the Canadian North. He attended the Nunavut Contaminants Workshop
in Cambridge Bay, NWT in March, 1996. The Workshop indicated that
Inuit of Nunavut have a need for very basic level information on
contaminants.
A proposal to leverage Eco-Research project funding for the risk
management project was submitted to NHRDP in November 1995. The proposal
was to conduct mid-project risk management workshops and implement
and evaluate risk communication activities. While three of four reviewers
were supportive of the proposed initiatives, the proposal was not
funded.
Phase III
Phase III of the project also focused on developing the risk communication
document entitled "Country Foods Benefits and Risks: A Resource
Guide for Nunavik and Labrador". This document will assist
decision-makers at the regional, community and individual levels
by establishing a framework and a system for organizing the information
resulting from the many studies on contaminants risks and benefits.
This would include results of the Eco-Research studies and information
from other indigenous and scientific sources. A survey of Eco-Researchers
was undertaken in July, 1995 to begin the process of identifying
existing research related to the Eco-Research program.
The final organizational structure and content of the document was
determined by Inuit partners in the regions of Nunavik and Labrador
to ensure its success and relevance to community needs.
References
Usher, P. J., Baikie, M., Demmer, M., Nakashima, D., Stevenson, M.G.
and M. Stiles. 1995. Communicating about Contaminants in Country
Food: The Experience in Aboriginal Communities. Ottawa: Inuit Tapirisat
of Canada.
Furgal, C., Shortreed, J., Keith,
R., Craig, L. and É. Dewailly.
1995. Inuit Perspectives on Environmental Contaminants. Institute
for Risk Research, University of Waterloo.
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