Technical Problematisation: A Democratic Way to Deal with Contested Projects?

A strong social and technical divide is particularly visible in the predominant understanding of technological innovation in modern societies. The field of Science and Technology Studies (STS) aims to overcome this divide, by focusing on the continuously entwined relationships between the social and the technical, that is, sociotechnical combinations. In this article, we argue that while it is reasonable to state that the social and the technical are entangled, it should be acknowledged that some issues are dealt with solutions that are more technical than others. A technical problematisation (the definition of an issue as a problem that is treated via a technical solution) is different to a social problematisation (the definition of an issue as a problem that is treated via a social solution) of the same issue. Our discussion is built upon examples from nuclear waste management, where the social–technical divide has been strong. However, more recently there has been a push for more democracy in technical decision making in this area, with much experimentation on public participation taking place. The only way these activities will successfully support such a democratising process is for them to be integrated into a renewed and explicitly acknowledged technical problematisation of proposed solutions.

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From government to governance? (Non-) Effects of deliberation on decision-making structures for nuclear waste management in Germany and Switzerland

Journal of Integrative Environmental Sciences ◽

10.1080/1943815x.2012.688752 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 103-122 ◽

Cited By ~ 8

Author(s):

Sophie Kuppler

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Waste Management ◽

Nuclear Waste ◽

Nuclear Waste Management

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Nuclear Waste Management Decision-Making Support with MCDA

Science and Technology of Nuclear Installations ◽

10.1155/2017/9029406 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 2017 ◽

pp. 1-20 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

A. Schwenk-Ferrero ◽

A. Andrianov

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Waste Management ◽

Nuclear Waste ◽

Management Strategies ◽

Management Decision ◽

Nuclear Waste Management ◽

Hypothetical Case ◽

Problem Structuring ◽

Qualitative Comparison ◽

Novel Approach

The paper proposes a multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) framework for a comparative evaluation of nuclear waste management strategies taking into account different local perspectives (expert and stakeholder opinions). Of note, a novel approach is taken using a multiple-criteria formulation that is methodologically adapted to tackle various conflicting criteria and a large number of expert/stakeholder groups involved in the decision-making process. The purpose is to develop a framework and to show its application to qualitative comparison and ranking of options in a hypothetical case of three waste management alternatives: interim storage at and/or away from the reactor site for the next 100 years, interim decay storage followed in midterm by disposal in a national repository, and disposal in a multinational repository. Additionally, major aspects of a decision-making aid are identified and discussed in separate paper sections dedicated to application context, decision supporting process, in particular problem structuring, objective hierarchy, performance evaluation modeling, sensitivity/robustness analyses, and interpretation of results (practical impact). The aim of the paper is to demonstrate the application of the MCDA framework developed to a generic hypothetical case and indicate how MCDA could support a decision on nuclear waste management policies in a “small” newcomer country embarking on nuclear technology in the future.

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Concerned public and the paralysis of decision‐making: nuclear waste management policy in Germany

Journal of Risk Research ◽

10.1080/13669870903126382 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 12 (7-8) ◽

pp. 921-940 ◽

Cited By ~ 18

Author(s):

Peter Hocke ◽

Ortwin Renn

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Waste Management ◽

Nuclear Waste ◽

Management Policy ◽

Nuclear Waste Management ◽

Waste Management Policy

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Public Participation in Nuclear Waste Management : a Comparative Analysis of the Swedish and Canadian Processes

10.32920/ryerson.14657034.v1 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Rosanne Camacho

Keyword(s):

Comparative Analysis ◽

Waste Management ◽

Public Participation ◽

Nuclear Waste ◽

Public Engagement ◽

Public Awareness ◽

Public Support ◽

Current Status ◽

Nuclear Waste Management ◽

Quantitative Analyses

This thesis addresses the issue of public participation in the implementation of nuclear waste management (NWM) strategies by comparing the NWM programs of Sweden and Canada. It begins with a comparison of the progress and current status of the Swedish and Canadian NWM programs, which illustrates that the Swedish program is further ahead in terms of obtaining approval for a disposal method. Next, quantitative analyses were performed on three measures of public engagement, which revealed that the proponents of Sweden's NWM program have focused on public participation much more than their Canadian counterparts. Lastly, a comparison was made between the level of public awareness regarding nuclear waste and public support for the NWM programs of each country. The analysis indicated that there is a greater level of both public awareness of the nuclear waste issue and public support for the NWM program in Sweden than there is in Canada.

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Stakeholder Opinions on the Use of the Added Value Approach in Siting Radioactive Waste Management Facilities

Volume 2: Facility Decontamination and Decommissioning; Environmental Remediation; Environmental Management/Public Involvement/Crosscutting Issues/Global Partnering ◽

10.1115/icem2013-96068 ◽

2013 ◽

Author(s):

Matti Kojo ◽

Phil Richardson

Keyword(s):

Czech Republic ◽

Radioactive Waste ◽

Waste Management ◽

Public Participation ◽

Nuclear Waste ◽

Site Selection ◽

Added Value ◽

Nuclear Waste Management ◽

The Czech Republic ◽

Waste Facility

In some countries nuclear waste facility siting programs include social and economic benefits, compensation, local empowerment and motivation measures and other incentives for the potential host community. This can generally be referred to as an ‘added value approach’. Demonstration of the safety of a repository is seen as a precondition of an added value approach. Recently much focus has been placed on studying and developing public participation approaches but less on the use of such incentive and community benefit packages, although they are becoming a more common element in many site selection strategies for nuclear waste management facilities. The primary objective of this paper is to report on an ongoing study of stakeholders’ opinions of the use of an added value approach in siting a radioactive waste facility in the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. The paper argues that an added value approach should adapt to the interests and needs of stakeholders during different stages of a siting process. The main question posed in the study is as follows: What are the measures which should be included in ‘added value approach’ according to the stakeholders? The research data consists of stakeholders’ responses to a survey focusing on the use of added value (community benefits) and incentives in siting nuclear waste management facilities. The survey involved use of a questionnaire developed as part of the EU-funded IPPA* project in three countries: the Czech Republic, Poland and Slovenia. (* Implementing Public Participation Approaches in Radioactive Waste Disposal, FP7 Contract Number: 269849). The target audiences for the questionnaires were the stakeholders represented in the national stakeholder groups established to discuss site selection for a nuclear waste repository in their country. A total of 105 questionnaires were sent to the stakeholders between November 2011 and January 2012. 44 questionnaires were returned, resulting in a total response rate of 41% (10/29 in the Czech Republic, 11/14 in Poland and in 23/64 in Slovenia).

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Development of a Requirements Management System for Technical Decision-Making Processes in the Geological Disposal Project

11th International Conference on Environmental Remediation and Radioactive Waste Management, Parts A and B ◽

10.1115/icem2007-7221 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Hiroyoshi Ueda ◽

Katsuhiko Ishiguro ◽

Kazumi Kitayama ◽

Kiyoshi Oyamada ◽

Shoko Sato

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Waste Management ◽

Nuclear Waste ◽

Management System ◽

Current Status ◽

Nuclear Waste Management ◽

Efficient Operation ◽

Geological Disposal ◽

Decision Making Processes

NUMO (Nuclear Waste Management Organization of Japan) has a responsibility for implementing geological disposal of vitrified HLW (High-Level radioactive Waste) in the Japanese nuclear waste management programme. Its staged siting procedure was initiated in 2002 by an open call for volunteer sites. Careful management strategy and methodology for the technical decision-making at every milestone are required to prepare for the volunteer site application and the site investigation stages after that. The formal Requirement Management System (RMS) is planned to support the computerized implementation of the specific management methodology, termed the NUMO Structured Approach (NSA). This planned RMS will help for comprehensive management of the decision-making processes in the geological disposal project, change management towards the anticipated project deviations, efficient project driving such as well-programmed R&D etc. and structured record-keeping regarding the past decisions, which leads to soundness of the project in terms of the long-term continuity. The system should have handling/management functions for the database including the decisions/requirements in the project in consideration, their associated information and the structures composed of them in every decision-making process. The information relating to the premises, boundary conditions and time plan of the project should also be prepared in the system. Effective user interface and efficient operation on the in-house network are necessary. As a living system for the long-term formal use, flexibility to updating is indispensable. In advance of the formal system development, two-year activity to develop the preliminary RMS was already started. The purpose of this preliminary system is to template the decision/requirement structure, prototype the decision making management and thus show the feasibility of the innovative RMS. The paper describes the current status of the development, focusing on the initial stage including work analysis/modeling and the system conceptualization.

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