Effective Decision Rules for Systems of Public Engagement in Radioactive Waste Disposal: Evidence from the United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan

Abstract

For large decision-making systems, radioactive waste is one of the most contentious of technological risks, associated with perceptions of “dread” and deep social stigma. These characteristics contribute to the intractable nature of the radioactive waste problem throughout systems in western democracies. The disposal and long-term management of radioactive waste is an issue entangled in technical, environmental, societal and ethical quandaries. The present study asks how different systems in societies address these multifaceted quandaries. Drawing on formal decision-making theory, it identifies a decision rule that facilitates the approval of deep geological disposal plans while achieving a successful outcome in social and technological terms, with the perception of fairness and legitimacy. We compare two decision rules, the consensus rule and the majority rule, and argue that the principle of majority rule maximizes information processing across a system and increases the likelihood of reaching lasting decisions. We also note positive effects of early public participation in the decision process. This conclusion is reached by a comparative analysis across three societies: The United States, the United Kingdom, and Japan. One remarkable finding is the actual and potential effectiveness of majority rule in these countries despite different policy priorities and cultures. This study reached its conclusion through a synthesis of multiple methods: case studies in the United States and the United Kingdom, and a survey and simulated workshop in Japan.