Final Program - Society for Risk Analysis

M3-G.3 Jardine CG, Driedger SM, Furgal CM; cindy.jardine@ualberta.caUniversity of AlbertaEVOLUTION OF TRUST IN RISK COMMUNICATION: THE DEVEL-OPMENT OF THE GIANT MINE REMEDIATION PLAN AND THEYELLOWKNIVES DENE FIRST NATIONGiant Mine is a former gold mining operation located five km north of Yellowknifein the Northwest Territories in Canada. The mine produced more than 7million ounces of gold over 50 plus years of operation. However, during the roastingof the ore to release the gold, toxic arsenic trioxide dust was produced. Whenactivity at the mine ceased, the Government of Canada entered into a CooperationAgreement with the Government of the Northwest Territories to remediate the site.The Remediation Plan, developed using a team of external experts, called for thelong-term storage and maintenance of the 237,000 tonnes of arsenic trioxide dustusing the “frozen block method”, whereby designated areas around and within eachof the underground chambers and stopes will be frozen and kept frozen over thelong term using thermosyphons. The plan was submitted to the Mackenzie ValleyLand and Water Board as part of a water licence application in October, 2007. TheYellowknives Dene First Nation (YKDFN) opposed the immediate approval of thelicence on the basis that “the technology which is being proposed is relatively new, isuntried and must be examined in depth...” Through entering into an unprecedentedpartnership with the City of Yellowknife and a local environmental advocate, theYKDFN were successful in forcing the proposed remediation plan to undergo a fullenvironmental assessment. This ongoing case study looks at how various factorshave intersected to produce community distrust of (and lack of cooperation with) therisk remediation process: (1) a historical legacy of mistrust between the communityand responsible agency; (2) limited community control over the risk decision; (3) aconsultation process that involved complex and overwhelming information; and (4)a perceived bypassing of the regulatory process. The challenges created by the complexityof this issue in the development and application of the common evaluativetrust framework will be discussed.P.31 Jiang CB, Chien LC, Han BC, Hsu CS; lcchien@tmu.edu.twTMUBLOOD MERCURY CONCENTRATION AND FISH CONSUMPTION:RISK AND PERCEPTIONS OF RISK AMONG URBAN AND COASTALMOTHER IN TAIWANThis study was designed to examine mercury concentrations in maternal blood,cord blood, and placental tissue of urban and coastal mothers in Taiwan, in relationto their perception of risk associated with fish consumption. Base on calculated ahazard quotient (HQ) to evaluate the impact of the consumption of fish commonlyeaten by pregnant women and assess their exposure to mercury. We also assess whichmedia are more effective for providing useful risk information to the public in Taiwan.The average mercury concentration in maternal blood, cord blood, and placentaltissue was 9.02±3.22 qg/l; 12.18±5.92 qg/l; 19.88±11.07 ng/g for the metropolitanmothers and 3.46±2.62 qg/l; 8.62±4.90 qg/l; 10.07±7.97 ng/g for the mothers livingon the coast. The differences between the two groups were significant (p