Psychosocial impact of toxic chemical waste dumps.

Abstract

On the basis of three years' intensive observation of the community and interactions at the Love Canal in Niagara Falls, NY, the present study addresses the psychosocial problem of creating and maintaining trust between the residents of an area contaminated by toxic waste materials and the government-sponsored researchers and other health professionals who worked and studied there (the scientific professionals). The problem is important, for without trust and confidence, no involving people's cooperation can be performed in a scientifically acceptable manner, if at all. At Love Canal, because the challenge of maintaining and increasing initial feelings of trust was not recognized by the professionals, the residents' feelings of uncertainty about their health and welfare were increased. As their feelings of uncertainty increased as well about the competence, wisdom and motivations of governmentsponsored professionals, their initial feelings of respect and confidence in the professionals changed. A large number became increasingly suspicious, lost respect for the scientists, reacted angrily, and finally refused to cooperate at all with government-sponsored research. The scientists themselves suffered from feeling misunderstood, unappreciated, often insulted. Some viewed the people as the enemy, and finally they were not able to proceed with research as usual. Because the social factors leading to the breakdown of trust are likely to be present in any region where a toxic waste dump has contaminated a residential area and where government-sponsored researchers study environment and health effects, I think it is important to understand what happened at Love Canal. The problem begins, sociologically speaking, with