Public Hearing on Siting a Solid Waste Disposal Facility
Learning Objectives
Students will:
1.
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Understand the complexity of managing solid waste.
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2.
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Realize the wide range of perspectives and values involved in making decisions about solid waste.
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3.
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Will learn an interdisciplinary decision making process through role playing.
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Materials
Scenario and role description Agenda
Procedure
A refuse disposal siting/solid waste management hearing will be conducted with students, taking the parts of various participant roles in the waste management decision-making process. The disposal facility under consideration includes option for an incinerator with ash only, landfill(s) only, or both.
Teacher should discuss pertinent issues like waste prevention and reduction, recycling and the role it should play in the waste management plan. Also stress that the class’s job is to understand and discuss the solid waste problem and come up with solutions. The emphasis should be on possible alternative solutions and not just a single answer to the problem.
Step 1
Distribute copies of the scenario and a role description to each participant of the class.
Step 2
Choose a student to serve as the Town Commissioner/Hearing Examiner. Then choose other students to act out the following roles:
Environmental Activist
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Recycler
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Homeowner & Lawyer
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Garbage hauler
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Citizen
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Mayor
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Journalist Real
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Estate Developer
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Step 3
Have students study and research a particular aspect of their roles’ concerns about the disposal strategies. Remind them to contact their counterparts in their town to add more information to the parts.
Step 4
Hand out the sample hearing agenda.
Step 5
Assign a specific date for conducting the hearing. When the hearing takes place, have the remainder of the class not playing specific roles serve as the Town Council, for questioning the hearing participants and, in the end, reaching a decision about what to do with all that garbage.
Scenario
The population of New Haven is growing rapidly. The volume of solid waste produced in the city is growing even more rapidly. Recent state regulations have outlawed open dumping, so that all the old dumps have been closed.
To protect human health and the environment, safeguards must be built into any new sanitary landfill, but this makes it very expensive to construct and it must be monitored throughout its use and for many years after. The city public works department, which has responsibility for proper disposal of all municipal waste generated within the city, is increasingly concerned about the growing amount of waste and is considering a new landfill. The existing landfill is filling up fast and, given the long lead time needed to site and build a replacement, a decision about what to do with the city’s waste must be made soon.
Role Description
Environmental Activist
As an environmentalist, you are concerned about the effects of incinerator emissions on air quality. You understand that a mass burn incinerator will require huge amounts of refuse to operate efficiently and thus discourage recycling efforts, while at the same time presenting problems in disposing of the toxic ash generated. Nevertheless, you are aware that a landfill could cause considerable environmental damage to the land, air, and water.
Homeowner
You are worried that the city is planning to build a landfill or an incinerator near your home. You are also worried about the roadway litter you’re afraid will result. You are also worried about the increase in the rat population, toxic leachate that could contaminate drinking water. You are angry when you think that a landfill may decrease the value of the house you’ve worked so hard to own.
Lawyer
Represents the homeowner and is knowledgeable of zoning ordinances and environmental statutes.
Mayor
Oversees the hearing and listens dispassionately to each party.
Citizen
You lead a busy life and you like the convenience that some packaged foods give you, though you are sometimes bothered by the amount of packaging left over. You are paying the garbage hauler and the city taxes to take care of the trash for you. You don’t feel you have enough time in your day to fool around with the trash, separating it for recycling.
Journalist
Your job is to ask questions, understand the important issues, and report accurately the decision-making process.
Recycler
You are worried that a mass burn, waste-to-energy type incinerator will cut the bottom out of the recycling market. You have been involved in recycling for a very long time and you are angry and a little bit frightened that you and your business or recycling will get lost in the shuffle.
Garbage hauler
You own a garbage collection company which is licensed by the state of Connecticut. Your prime concerns are providing good service to a rapidly growing number of customers and keeping costs down. You are now worried about city and state regulations regarding your business (e.g. collection fees and garbage removal).
Real Estate Developer
You are convinced that the expansion now underway must not be interrupted. You strongly believe that the economic growth for the area far outweighs the short-term pollution of the conversion of agricultural land for suburban housing and shopping centers.
Agenda
1.
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Opening Statement by the City Commissioner
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2.
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City Proposals:
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¥
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Combination incinerator with ash and landfill
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¥
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Question period
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3.
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Expert Reports:
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¥
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Citizen testimony
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¥
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Business testimony
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4.
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Final Summarization and Questions
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5.
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Conclusion and Vote
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6.
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Report by journalist
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