Integrating scientific and local knowledge into pollution remediation planning: An iterative conceptual site model framework

Pollution remediation decisions in developing communities are often made with limited technical data and stakeholder engagement. Local knowledge of contamination is oftentimes neglected, resulting in efforts that fail to align with community objectives. In this work, we propose a new approach for incorporating local knowledge on contamination into remediation efforts, resulting in a community-informed conceptual site model framework for pollution remediation. This framework uses qualitative and quantitative social science methods to develop a holistic view of contamination as defined by the community, pairing social knowledge with existing technical information about a site. An example of the application of this framework is provided from a field study conducted in a mercury-contaminated artisanal and small-scale gold mining community in Andes, Colombia. We conducted qualitative unstructured and semi-structured interviews and surveys to elicit local knowledge on mercury contamination. We combined this stakeholder input with limited scientific published literature on mercury contamination in artisanal mining communities to develop different conceptual site models that vary based on the level and type of stakeholder input. Our findings demonstrate how local knowledge on contamination varies due to contextual factors within the community, revealed through the engagement. This work also demonstrates how the new framework can be utilized by environmental practitioners to define the needs, wants, and priorities of stakeholder groups throughout a remediation project, ensuring maximum participation in solution development.