Resolving sustainable development conflicts caused by vinyl leakage accidents in the USA: From the perspective of graph model under fuzzy preferences with self-confidence

Abstract

On February 3, 2023, a railroad accident led to the release and combustion of 115,580 gallons of vinyl chloride monomer in East Palestine, Ohio, USA. The large leakage and long-time combustion of vinyl chloride monomer harmed the stability of local sustainable ecosystems and the health of residents, as the burning produced deadly toxins, triggering dissatisfaction from residents and environmental protection organizations. With the COVID-19 pandemic still unfolding globally, decision makers (DMs) in vinyl chloride leakage accidents must consider the existing environmental health uncertainty, potentially leading to uncertainty in their preference cognitive. Thus, this paper proposes a novel fuzzy preference with a self-confidence structure of the graph model for conflict resolution (GMCR) to resolve the sustainable development conflicts caused by the vinyl chloride leakage accident in Ohio. Fully considering the uncertainty of option choice by DMs and the different levels of confidence in DMs’ preference selection, four different fuzzy stability definitions of self-confidence are defined in GMCR. The analysis results suggest the following: (1) During conflicts, the US Norfolk Southern Corp should assume corporate responsibility by setting up a health monitoring system for residents in Ohio; the company should pay for the medical examinations and related care expenses for residents within the scope of the vinyl chloride leakage accident. (2) The negotiation of all stakeholders in conflicts can promote reconciliation. Finally, the analysis process and results of this study can provide guidance to government departments for properly handling major accidents and appeasing affected residents.