Environmental problem solving combined with behavioural science creates an effective voluntary program targeting leak risk-reduction from underground petroleum storage systems

<p dir="ltr">Poorly designed and managed underground petroleum storage systems (UPSS) are prone to leak, leading to contamination of land, surface and ground water, and threats to human health. Operators who preventively monitor and maintain their systems, and are prepared to respond to leaks, reduce these risks. The problem can be out of sight and mind for many fuel retailers, and deliberately avoided by some, making for a complex regulatory challenge. In Victoria, Australia, the state EPA created a program addressing fuel retailer’s UPSS leak management, using the Herbster/Sparrow environmental problem solving methodology, combined with behavioural public policy and administration. This paper addresses the gap in evidence for both effective non-structural / behavioural interventions for underground leak management, and environmental problem solving methods in regulation. Based on an extensive problem and risk framework, 1360 fuel retail sites were profiled. Three key interventions underpinned the resulting program: 1) a targeted communication campaign aiming to increase third party reporting of suspected leaks, 2) a checklist to facilitate self-reporting and leak mitigation practices, and 3) targeted compliance inspections to higher risk sites. The program delivered substantial improvements (over 20% in some measures) in fuel retailers’ attitudes and beliefs towards their obligations, along with reported increased uptake of preferred behaviours. The high (89.3%) voluntary self-reporting rate and positive attitude improvements indicates most of the sector now has at least a basic appreciation and ownership of their obligations and expected preventative practices. While inspections and desktop audit checks identified a small proportion of mismatches between reported and actual compliance, nearly half (204) of sites reporting non-compliance also stated plans to improve practices as part of the self-reporting activity. While designing and implementing the program was a challenging operational strategy process, the results indicate the program deployed efficient and effective intervention options. We suggest the integration of problem solving and behavioural approaches is also likely to be useful to address other sectors and problems.</p><p dir="ltr">Highlights:</p><p dir="ltr">· Non-structural / behaviour change techniques were applied to reduce leaks from underground petroleum storage systems of fuel retailers</p><p dir="ltr">· Design integrated regulatory environmental problem solving method with behaviour public policy and administration approaches</p><p dir="ltr">· Coordinated communication/third party reporting, self-audit and inspection interventions were implemented</p><p dir="ltr">· 89.3% of the sector voluntarily self-reported compliance, compliance attitudes improved by over 20% in some measures, and more than half committed to improvement actions.</p><p dir="ltr">· The project approach is an example of how to enable smart, responsive regulation focused on reducing harms</p>