From NIMBY to PIMBY: Multi-Logic Governance for Sustainable Waste-to-Energy Facility Siting in Rural China

Waste-to-energy (WTE) infrastructure is central to sustainable waste governance and circular economy transitions, yet its siting continues to trigger Not-In-My-Back-Yard (NIMBY) conflicts worldwide. This study examines how a rural Chinese county converted a WTE project—the only successful one among four siting attempts in its municipality—into a Please-In-My-Back-Yard (PIMBY) facility. Drawing on multi-wave fieldwork (2022–2025), in-depth interviews, and multi-source triangulation of statutory assessments, archives, and monitoring data, we develop a Multi-Logic Governance Framework comprising political, administrative, emotional, and technical logics. We trace a four-stage process from Resistance and Governance Adjustment through Collaborative Consolidation to PIMBY Acceptance, and record measurable outcomes, including over 1400 consecutive days of safe operation under EU emission limits, 28 publicly disclosed statutory approvals, and benefit sharing with nine surrounding villages. The study nuances the authoritarian environmentalism paradigm by conceptualizing relational bureaucracy, offers an actionable alternative to the Decide-Announce-Defend model, and yields practical guidance for siting facilities in transitional economies. Three implications follow: an independent pre-siting risk assessment, benefits linked to village development rather than cash transfers, and a grievance channel paired with disclosure, since disclosure alone did not build trust.