• It is a holistic prioritization of environmental risks based on scientific assessment and a recognition of public values.
• It evaluates environmental issues on the basis of their impacts on human health, the ecosystem and citizen's quality of life.
• It generates an environmental priority list within the constraints of limited available resources to protect the environment.
• It involves all stakeholders in the decision-making process.

II. Why is Comparative Risk Important?

The number and subtlety of environmental problem areas challenge ready assessment.

• The environmental regulatory agencies are departmentalized to deal with a multitude of problem areas.
• Under-funded and overextended agencies tend to focus on public outrage brought on by the media sensationalizing the "crisis of the day." Yet these "crises" may pose no great risk to the majority of Ohioans.
• Risk ranking represents a holistic problem-solving approach to environmental problems. It allocates scarce resources effectively while expanding a dialogue among the public and scientists.

• It makes scientists aware of what people value and it increases public awareness of the science involved in environmental issues.
• It allows more informed decisions on both sides.

IV. How does the Process work?

• Risk ranking includes several steps:

  • developing categorical rankings of human health, ecosystem, and quality-of-life risks to develop a working list of issues
  • drafting an overall ranking based on specific criteria
  • commenting on the draft list
  • revising the draft list
    

• The Ohio Comparative Risk Project participants initially generated a 700+ issue list, eventually combined and reduced to a manageable list of key issues.

  • Surface and ground water quality
  • Indoor air quality
  • Habitat loss and degradation
  • Environmental management
  • Outdoor air quality
  • Natural resource use
  • Waste management
  • Food safety
  • Land use and development
  • Drinking water at the tap
  • Environmental awareness and access to information

To get a sense of the difficulty of ranking and prioritization of environmental risks, this section allows you to quickly repeat the processes conducted by the State's Comparative Risk Project over 18 months. You will analyze and assess the risks posed by Ohio's environmental issues and ultimately rank the issues on the basis of the risks you believe they pose. Finally, you will allocate resources to the areas that pose the greatest risks.

• Ohioans, when asked to list environmental threats may include the following:
  
  

  ozone	dust	traffic	lawn chemicals
  lead paint	litter	chemicals	water contamination
  landfills	lead in water pipes	abandoned factories	air pollution

  
  

• Brainstorming
  
  Take five minutes to list as many potential environmental threats or issues — real or perceived — as you can. Nothing is too wild to go on the list.

  • Categorical rankings of human health, ecosystem, and quality-of-life risks
    
  • Group the items on your list by category (i.e. drinking water at the tap, solid waste, hazardous waste, industry, etc. ).
    
• Allocation of Resources
  
  
  • Imagine that you're in charge of dealing with the issues. However, funds are limited. To which problems will you allocate your scarce resources?
  • Questions to consider:
    • Are these issues being addressed by the status quo (i.e. some people believe that certain activities are already well regulated - sewage treatment, solid waste, even hazardous waste - you must decide if the issue is adequately addressed in your community)?
    • Do any of the issues impact health?
    • Do any of the issues fit the public outrage criteria?
    • Now, allocate resources to your list of environmental issues. Use 10 pennies, each representing ten percent of the Ohio EPA budget.
      

• Comparison of your results to the State Project's results. The Project's highest ranked issues, in alphabetical order:
  
  
  • Abandoned industrial sites
  • Drinking water at the tap
  • Exposure from lack of consumer awareness
  • Inadequate infrastructure (sewage/septic systems)
  • Indoor air quality
  • Industrial / commercial wastewater discharges
  • Mobile source emissions (cars, trucks)
  • Municipal waste disposal facilities
  • Ozone-depleting substances
  • Unregulated / abandoned hazardous waste facilities

• Scarce resources
• Science
• Public values
• Public health
• Ecosystems
• Quality of life issues

As you work with individuals from disadvantaged communities, you may find ways to apply this prioritization process to empower them in evaluating environmental issues within their own communities.