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Water Practice & Technology © IWA Publishing 2007  |  doi10.2166/wpt.2007.082

Invest In The Social Aspects of Biosolids Management

N. Goldstein¹, N. Beecher²

Social factors, such as public outrage, commonly interfere with effective biosolids management. This is especially true with programs that involve recycling biosolids to soils. Obstacles to public support of biosolids recycling are understood by application of social science research regarding risk perception, outrage factors, and risk communication. This paper covers background, summarizes past research, and presents short case studies regarding utilizing understanding of such social factors in particular biosolids management programs. Evaluations of these efforts are presented, providing improved understanding of how biosolids managers can implement cost-effective strategies to more effectively address the social aspects of biosolids management.

Keywords: biosolids, public acceptance, public perception, public participation, sewage sludge

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