NIMBY AND NIABY FACILITIES : THE SITING ISSUE

Abstract

This academic exercise discusses the issue of siting necessary but somewhat unpopular facilities such as landfills and waste incineration plants, often referred to as Not In My Backyard (NIMBY) facilities. Everybody needs such facilities but no one wants these to be sited near them. These facilities pose various problems and different countries use different approaches in siting them. This study focuses on the specific case of Singapore, where the public is not consulted when the Government wishes to site a facility. This is in contrast to countries like the United States, where a facility is sited only with the approval of the host community. Data was collected from administered surveys regarding attitudes, firstly, towards the siting of a hypothetical waste incineration plant and secondly, towards other NIMBY issues. This study offers a logit model of acceptance of a waste incineration plant using background variables like age and income level, amongst others. It also presents preference rankings for some compensation and mitigation measures as well as for the seriousness of certain negative externalities imposed by the plant. Attitudes towards other issues like willingness to pay to relocate the plant and the NIABY (Not In Anybody's Backyard) syndrome are also tested. The findings seem to indicate that the NIMBY syndrome is present in Singapore. The NIABY syndrome is also present but to a much lesser degree. Certain factors like age, income and having children under the age of twelve all have a negative relationship with the probability of a respondent accepting the plant. However, those with a Primary School Leaving Examination or an 'A' level certificate, or a diploma seem to have a positive probability of accepting the plant. There is a discrepancy between how much people are willing to accept in order to give up the privilege of not having a waste incineration plant near them and how much they are willing to pay to retain that privilege. If the plant were to be built, the effects that Singaporeans would be most concerned about would be air pollution and health problems. Conversely, the most effective measures in persuading them to accept the plant would be close monitoring on the part of the Government, guards against a decline in property value and subsidies for medical costs (resulting from health problems caused by the plant).