Householdʹs Valuation of Alternative Levels of Hazardous Waste Risk Reductions: an Application of the Referendum Format Contingent Valuation Method

Unlike past research on valuing risk reductions, this paper utilizes a mail questionnaire and referendum format contingent valuation question structure to estimate householdsʹ willingness to pay to reduce the risk of premature death from hazardous waste in the environment. This survey directly utilized a risk ladder both as a risk communication device and as an apparatus to elicit willingness to pay for three alternative risk-reduction levels. The valuation results from this research are similar to those that others have found in magnitude of dollar values using in-person interviews, as well as conforming to the principle of diminishing marginal value for additional reductions in risk of death. The policy implications for funding two California programs for source reduction of hazardous waste are also presented.