Abstract From 4S Conference_Waste Disposal 3

The Amplification of Risk of Municipal Solid Waste Incineration in China Yang Haihong, Institute of Science,Technology and Society,Tsinghua University,Beijing,China

The generation of modern technologies are accompanied by many risks. As an environmental technology, municipal solid waste incineration technology brings new environmental risks while dealing with urban solid waste. However, as a technology originating in the West, it causes some new risks after it’s introduction to China, or，the risks of the technology have been amplified or changed in new context. This Mainly reflected in four aspects: Different garbage characteristics lead to incompatibility of technology application; Garbage classification system is not perfect which resulting in poor technical effect; Non-standard operation and management of enterprises led to technology stigmatization; Government decision-making system is not perfect and the lack of it’s regulation to enterprises leads to public mistrust. These mechanisms change the factual risk of technology and the public perception of risk and trigger the risk amplification in the new context of technology application. These risks are not caused by the technology itself but are closely linked with the social culture, norms, management and organization . Therefore, the risks of the same technology will be different in different social contexts. The judgment of technical risks needs to be combined with specific situations, that is, with the social order of the development of technology.    The thesis is based on the fieldwork of case studies and the analysis of the existing literature, which helps STS researchers to understand the technical risks and the nature of technological development in transnational contexts.