Social and economic effects of hazardous waste management sites

Social and economic effects of hazardous waste sites were described. These include, but are not limited to, disrupting the social structure of communities, placing an undue burden on distinct populations, and devaluating property. Evidence of these effects was sought in towns and neighborhoods with hazardous waste sites. In New Jersey, the state with the most hazardous waste production and number of Superfund sites, social effects were found at the community and neighborhood scales at abandoned and potential sites. Evidence of potential social effects was found in Minnesota at proposed disposal, but not processing sites. The most consistent social effect was that sites tended to be located or potentially located in areas with many relatively poor people. Economic effects were not observed at the township scale in New Jersey, but were seen in one of two illustrative neighborhood studies.