Abstract

This paper examines trust in pollution management in Lake Villarrica, located in La Araucania, Chile. Twenty-four semi-structured interviews were conducted with actors from three sectors: local and regional government, civil society, and private companies. Findings show that trust and mistrust relate to poor lake management by public institutions and the responsibility of polluting industries in this region. There is little concern for those affected in favour of political and private interests, a lack of transparency of information, little confidence that the commitments made by the institutional framework will be fulfilled, and the need for greater involvement of those affected in solving the problems arising from the pollution of this ecosystem. It concludes that the lack of trust between the actors involved in risk management hinders the resolution of the issue despite the possibility of improving the lake's state by working on the affective dimension of trust.