EXPAND THE LANDFILL?

Background:

The city population is growing, and is projected to grow by 20 percent in the next 5 years. The existing solid waste disposal site used by the city is nearly full. Either this site must be expanded, or a new site found. Recently, it was discovered that groundwater beneath the waste site is polluted, and this aquifer is the main source of water for the city.

Dilemma:

The city must have some place to deposit their solid wastes, and their current site cannot store much more. Expanding the current site is cheaper than constructing a new site, but the current site is polluting the city's main water supply.

Action:

The city council must decide whether to expand the waste site, or not. In order to help make this decision, the city council decided to hold a public meeting. Some of the stakeholders (people who will be affected by the decision) who will attend the meeting include:

1. City council members
2. Ministry of Health
3. Ministry of Environment
4. Water Authority
5. Environmental NGO's (Greens)
6. A representative of factories in the city
7. City Garbage Department
8. General public
   

Your task is to take part in this meeting as one of the stakeholder representatives and help the city council decide whether or not to expand the landfill. Here are a few guidelines to assist you in this project:

1. Each member will take the part of one of the above mentioned participants in the meeting and represent that group's opinion - either in favor of or against the decision.
2. If you are against expanding the landfill, you should offer potential solution(s) to deal with the city's waste.
3. If you are for expanding the landfill, you should offer potential solutions to solve the problem of groundwater pollution.
4. Who pays for either decision - expanding the landfill or sending the waste somewhere else? Who pays for cleaning up the polluted groundwater?