Sound Science, Junk Policy: Environmental Health Science and the Decision-Making Process

Demonstrates that sound science is prevalent in environmental decision-making processes but that it is often misinterpreted by policymakers, with critics unfairly blaming poor policy on the underlying science. Contemporary critics argue that environmental policy problems are rooted in poor, or junk, science. While this may sometimes be true, Morrone and Lohner argue that in many cases, the science is perfectly sound but has been misinterpreted, leading to questionable policy decisions. By revealing how science is used in the environmental decision-making process, the authors illustrate how this can happen. Bringing their experiences in the public and private sectors to bear on the problem, they buttress their points with a series of case studies. Case studies include air pollution, solid and hazardous waste management, food protection, vectors and their diseases, and drinking water safety. This book is a provocative look at the importance of properly interpreting science when setting environmental policy. The authors thoroughly examine the full implications of using science as the major criterion in policy decisions, and they discuss the merits of such alternative approaches as comparative risk assessment. This book makes a valuable contribution to the literature for scholars of environmental science, environmental law, environmental regulations, and scientific theory, as well as for policy makers, lawyers, environmental advocates, and industry leaders.