Taking the public with us: Waste and Health Impact Assessment

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Taking the public with usWaste and Health
Impact Assessment
Dr Salim Vohra peter brett associates
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What is health?

• Since I came to the White House
• I got two hearing aids,
• a colon operation,
• skin cancer, a prostate operation
• and I was shot.
• The damn thing is,
• I never felt better in my life.
• Ronald Reagan, actor and US president

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History of waste regulation in the UK

• In the beginning there was very little waste
• Then came the industrial revolution and waste
  both domestic and industrial became a social and
  political priority
• Public Health Act 1848 began the process of waste
  regulation in the UK
• In 1907, an amendment to the Public Health Act
  extended refuse collection to include trade
  refuse
• Public Health Act 1936 rules that the
  accumulation of waste which is prejudicial to
  health, is a Statutory Nuisance with local
  authorities gaining the power to prosecute
  offenders.

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Chronology of waste regulation in the UK

• In 1947, the Town and Country Planning Act gave
  local authorities planning powers over new waste
  management sites.
• In 1971 abandoned cyanide waste, knowledge that
  waste disposal drivers took bribes and dumped
  hazardous waste illegally leads to
• the Deposit of Poisonous Waste Act 1972 and
• the Control of Pollution Act 1974.
• In the 1980s and 1990s increasing public concern
  over waste disposal led to the passing of
• the Environmental Protection Act in 1990 and
• a range of European Directives are passed the
  Hazardous Waste Directive, the IPPC Directive,
  the Landfill Directive and the Waste Incineration
  Directive.

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Determinants of health
housing conditions
housing tenure
employment status
sexual behaviour
disability
smoking
ethnicity
alcohol
family relationships
working condition
personality
leisure activities
genetic factors
medication
income
diet
personal transport
illegal substances
sex
age
education
noise
soil quality
smell
water quality
public environmental health services
community participation
social support
air quality
social contact
peer pressure
civic design
fear of crime anti-social behaviour
land use planning
natural hazards
discrimination
natural resources
crime anti-social behaviour
fear of discrimination
green space
waste management
research technological development
community facilities
childcare
job creation
business activity
voluntary charity groups
leisure facilities
distribution of incomes
health social care services
housing
availability and quality of employment
availability and quality of training
education training
shops and banking services
advice services
public transport
Adapted from Rapid Health Impact Assessment a
guide to research by Amanda Harris, 2002
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What is health impact assessment (HIA)?

• Identifies and assesses positive and negative
  health and wellbeing impacts
• Enhances positive impacts and mitigates negative
  impacts
• Works within an explicit democratic, equitable,
  sustainable and ethical use of evidence value
  framework
• Uses a range of structured and evaluated sources
  of evidence that includes
• public and professional views and experiences
• and public health, toxicological and medical
  knowledge
• Focus on inequalities, the differential effects
  of potential impacts on disadvantaged communities

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Stages of HIA

• Screening
• Scoping
• Baseline and community profile
• Stakeholder involvement
• Evidence and analysis
• Mitigation and enhancement
• Health impact statement
• Follow-up

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HIA vs Environmental Impact Assessment
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Waste strategy HIAs

• Health impact assessment on the South East Wales
  Regional Waste Plan, 2003
• HIA investigated the potential health impacts of
  a range of waste facilities
• public perceptions of health impacts of waste and
  waste facilities
• and carried out a WISARD life cycle assessment
• Health impact assessment of the London municipal
  waste strategy, 2001
• Review of the research evidence on the health
  effects of waste and a half-day appraisal
  workshop involving forty key stakeholders from
  across London

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Waste facility HIAs

• Health impact assessment of the third line
  extension of the Eastcroft energy from waste
  facility, 2005
• HIA was part of the environmental impact
  assessment
• HIA was a narrower health risk assessment of the
  potential health impacts of the emissions from
  the proposed extension of the facility
• but this formed part of an overall process where
  early discussions with Nottingham City Council
  were initiated and the local community consulted
  six months before a planning submission was made
• Health impact assessment of the Parkwood landfill
  site, 2002-05
• Comprehensive epidemiological HIA of the negative
  health impacts on residents living near the
  landfill and included a perceived health status
  survey of local residents

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HIA conceptual framework
low emotion CONCERN SPECTRUM high
emotion
direct concerns
process concerns
symbolic concerns
Direct environmental, social and economic
concerns traffic air pollution noise degrade/
blight area smell future operation health no
community benefits leakage house prices
Planning and siting process concerns not enough
information more time for consultation inadequate
impact assessment how site chosen and others
considered Breaching of planning rules conflicts
of interest
Power, values and identity concerns powerful
stakeholders are dishonest, selfish, imposing,
and disrespectful of locals utilitarian,
libertarian vs. egalitarian notions of
justice Stigmatisation of locals and
neighbourhood as rubbish
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Value of HIA for waste plans and projects

• Provides timely, locally relevant and community
  credible health impact information and analysis
  for the waste planning process
• Improves the health and wellbeing aspects of
  waste project design, construction and operation
• Increases community support and reduces community
  concerns during waste facility siting and
  planning by proactively dealing with and
  reassuring communities about waste-related health
  concerns
• Enhances reputation by feeding into a
  sustainability and corporate social
  responsibility ethos
• Provides cost-effective added value

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Find me and the waste team at Stand T55A David
Atherton Len Arnot Laura Edderington Gerard
Edwards Philip Hunter Paul Jeffery Andy
ODea Mark Parkin Mike Rigby Michelle
Spruth Salim Vohra Philip Wright Robert Wheatley