Frames in the Toxicity Controversy: Risk Assessment and Policy Analysis Related to the Dutch Chlorine Debate and the Swedish PVC Debate

There is a great deal of controversy about how to deal with man-made chemicals. Environmentalists and industrialists throughout the world clash on such subjects as chlorine, PVC, endocrine disrupters and the precautionary principle. This book tries to untangle the controversy. Three chapters relate to long-term evaluations in two hot-spots in the toxicity controversy - the debates on chlorine in the Netherlands and PVC in Sweden. The text adopts a political and philosophical view, presenting a thorough theoretical analysis of the potential of scientific research to solve controversies, and evaluating the history of the chlorine and PVC controversies. The book combines the quantitative analytical approaches of environmental science with qualitative approaches of policy sciences and the philosophy of science, such as frame analysis, cultural theory, and discourse theory.

Table of Contents:
1 Introduction.- 1.1 Man-made chemicals and society.- 1.2 The context of the toxicity controversy.- 1.3 The problem.- 1.4 Study approach.- 1.5 Structure of this book.- 2 The role of science in controversies.- 2.1 Introduction.- 2.2 The status of knowledge.- 2.3 Robustness of knowledge claims in environmental controversies.- 2.4 Views on frame conflict and its drivers.- 2.5 Decision making in frame conflict.- 2.6 Problem definition.- 3 The toolbox for evaluations of environmental performance.- 3.1 Introduction.- 3.2 The toolbox for environmental evaluations.- 3.3 System definition.- 3.4 Interpretation: a general framework.- 3.5 Interpretation: toxic effects.- 3.6 Conclusion: a review of the toolbox and its robustness.- 4 Chlorine in the Netheriands: an analysis of environmental bottlenecks and uncertainties.- 4.1 The chlorine debate.- 4.2 Goal and approach.- 4.3 Methodology.- 4.4 Results: identifiable environmental bottlenecks.- 4.5 Results: the uncertainties concerning the impacts of chlorine.- 4.6 Conclusions.- 5 PVC in Sweden: an analysis of environmental bottlenecks.- 5.1 The PVC debate.- 5.2 Goal and approach.- 5.3 Methodology.- 5.4 Results.- 5.5 Conclusions.- 6 The Dutch chlorine debate.- 6.1 Introduction.- 6.2 Approach of the analysis.- 6.3 The actors in the Dutch chlorine debate.- 6.4 The Dutch chlorine debate.- 6.5 Analysis and conclusions.- 7 The Swedish PVC-debate.- 7.1 Introduction.- 7.2 Approach of the analysis.- 7.3 The actors in the Swedish PVC debate.- 7.4 The Swedish PVC debate.- 7.5 Analysis and conclusions.- 8 Conclusions.- 8.1 Introduction.- 8.2 The frames and driving factors.- 8.3 Robustness of knowledge claims and environmental evaluation tools.- 8.4 The process of decision making.- 9 Reflections and recommendations.- 9.1 Introduction.- 9.2 Suggestions for decision making in toxicity policy.- 9.3 Suggestions for decision making about chlorine and PVC.- 9.4 Recommendations for the generation of robust knowledge.- 9.5 Recommendations on the process of decision making.- 9.6 The final word: towards robust decision making in toxicity policy?.- Literature.