L’expertise à l’épreuve d’une controverse environnementale et sanitaire : la production des savoirs et des ignorances à propos des PCB du Rhône (France)

Gramaglia, Christelle; Babut, Marc

doi:10.4000/vertigo.15067

Cited by 10 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…PCBs were produced in large quantities from the 1930s, mainly for use in capacitors 2 and transformers sold in France through the firm General Electrics. The production of PCBs in France was estimated at between 130,000 and 180,000 tons for domestic use (Gramaglia and Babut, 2014). In particular, two industrial sites near Grenoble produced the majority of PCBs used in France from the 1950s until 1984 (Gramaglia and Babut, 2014).…”

Section: Industrialisation and River Engineering From The Nineteenth ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Yet few specifically focus on the sediment itself, tending instead to focus on its connection to pollution. For example, Gramaglia and Babut (2014) deconstruct the sociopolitical crises that emerged on the Rhône with chemical pollution stored and dispersed by sediment. Comby et al (2014) analysed the same crises through the media coverage.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 1 more Smart Citation

From asset to threat: trajectory of sediment on the Rhône River

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Sediment is physical matter and, as such, is usually studied in the physical and natural sciences, such as chemistry, geomorphology, or hydraulics and hydrology. However, sediment is also deeply embedded in society and politics. Sediment flows are affected by river transformation and, in turn, affect river management. This article highlights the changing ways in which society has considered sediment in the Rhône River (France). In the early-modern historical period (16e-18e c.) sediment was generally considered a blessing. However, the contemporary evolution of the Rhône's industrialisation, river engineering, and governance has challenged this perspective. Today sediment is more likely to be viewed as a threat. The concept of the hydrosocial cycle is a useful framework within which to describe the variety of ways societies have understood river sediment. The variation is caused by, and in turn affects, the meaning and representation of sediment, the structure of land and water governance, the nature of sedimentary and water resources, and the materiality of sediment and water, mediated by technology. This article aims to open the issue of sediment to the social sciences through a dialogue between history, human geography, and political science.

show abstract

Section: Industrialisation and River Engineering From The Nineteenth ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

From asset to threat: trajectory of sediment on the Rhône River

2021

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…They systematically embed compromises between negotiated norms and scientific claims. For instance, determining the concentrations of pollutants, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) that can be tolerated in wastewater released into a river, involves significant political compromises . And when determining minimum flow requirements, actors such as public agencies, users' committees or electricity suppliers may naturalize some water needs and quell uncertainties to better control waterscapes .…”

Section: Knowledge Technologies and Power As Co‐productionsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…For instance, determining the concentrations of pollutants, such as PCBs (polychlorinated biphenyls) that can be tolerated in wastewater released into a river, involves significant political compromises. 44 And when determining minimum flow requirements, actors such as public agencies, users' committees or electricity suppliers may naturalize some water needs and quell uncertainties to better control waterscapes. 45 The definition of thresholds that both qualify and govern water shortage implies significant compromises between irrigators' and State representatives even though scientific discourses may be used only a posteriori to legitimize the figures chosen.…”

Section: Naturalizing Political Choicesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Water technology, knowledge and power. Addressing them simultaneously

Aubriot

Fernandez²,

Trottier

et al. 2017

WIREs Water

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…En outre, le biphényle est encore régulièrement utilisé à l'heure actuelle dans certains pays comme matière de base pour la synthèse de composés polychlorobiphényles (PCB), comme additifs dans certaines formulations des pesticides, etc. Il est aussi un des produits de la dégradation et/ou déchloration de ces composés hautement toxiques et récalcitrants présents dans certains sols depuis de nombreuses années (Van Doesburg et al, 2005, Gramaglia et Babut 2014.…”

Section: Introductionunclassified