Abstract
The methodological framework for informed decision-making known as Environmental Systems Assessment (ESA) is derived from, and is shown to contain, the existing tools of Risk Assessment, Decision Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment (LCA). Communication is identified as a problem within ESA. A panel process in local waste management between a UK Council, its local lay public and experts illustrates a new methodological implementation of ESA in which risk, decision analytic and life cycle information were all present in parallel and in different forms. These included an innovative and interactive multimedia CD-ROM tailored to the locality (known as 'WOMBLE') and the WISARD software developed with, among other bodies, the Environment Agency of England and Wales. The communications and information in the process are evaluated by social research, the learning of the participants is assessed and it is shown that while a number of significant actions were agreed upon, individual preferences were still stable and significantly different. The potential of the approach is assessed.