2016-02-02 P&O Committee - Item 7 - Attachment 1 - Waste Management PBA Draft Report

7. Appendix B:                                    Qualitative Assessment
   Methodology
Risk-based impact assessment frameworks are well recognised as an appropriate approach for
assessing economic, social and environmental impacts.

A risk-based approach, adapted from the Australian/New Zealand Standard for risk management
(AS/NZS 31000:2009), is used for the impact assessment. The framework identifies and ranks
risks into relevant levels (very low, low, medium, high and very high) to inform key issues and
impacts for avoidance, mitigation and management measures.

The assessment examines the likelihood of an effect occurring, and the potential consequences
(i.e. a measure of severity/ magnitude of effect) should the effect occur. Table C.1 contains the
descriptors used to classify the likelihood and consequence.

Table 7.1. Descriptors Used to Classify Likelihood and Consequence
Descriptor          Description
Likelihood
Very high           Is expected to occur
High                Will probably occur
Moderate            Might occur
Low                 Unlikely to occur
Very Low            May occur in exceptional circumstances
Consequence
Very high               Adverse Impact: Extreme permanent loss of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing, with anticipated major public outrage
                        Beneficial Impact: Significant permanent enhancement of human, social, financial
                         or built capital/wellbeing
High                    Adverse Impact: Substantial loss of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing, will attract public concern
                        Beneficial Impact: Substantial enhancement of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing
Moderate                Adverse Impact: Moderate and noticeable loss of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing
                        Beneficial Impact: Moderate enhancement of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing
Low                     Adverse Impact: Small but noticeable loss of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing, can be easily rehabilitated
                        Beneficial Impact: Small enhancement of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing
Very Low                Adverse Impact: Negligible loss of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing
                        Beneficial Impact: Negligible enhancement of human, social, financial or built
                         capital/wellbeing

Source: Adapted from AS/NZS 31000:2009




Waste Management Public Benefit Assessment                                                         Page 30