Public Opposition to a Proposed Nuclear Waste Repository in Canada: An Investigation of Cultural and Economic Effects

Abstract

Residents of four northern communities were surveyed about Atomic Energy of Canada Limited's proposal to site an underground repository for high‐level nuclear waste somewhere in the Canadian Shield. Opposition to the repository was relatively strong in all communities, but was strongest among aboriginal respondents. Path analysis revealed that trust in nuclear regulators, faith in science and technology, and anticipated net costs were important mediators of this effect. Aboriginals were less trusting, exhibited less faith in science and technology, and perceived the costs associated with the repository to be higher than their nonaboriginal counterparts. No support was found for the hypothesis that, after controlling for aboriginal status, financially insecure individuals would display greater support for the nuclear waste repository than financially secure individuals. Policy implications for balancing perceived risks and siting needs are discussed.

Modelling Psychological Responses to the Great East Japan Earthquake and Nuclear Incident

“…Recently, Japanese commentators have partialled those responding to the Fukushima incident into ‘safety’ versus ‘risk’ ‘junkies’, contrasting those who underestimate risks with those who overestimate the risks that followed the nuclear incident [25] . Risk perceptions about the Fukushima nuclear plants are also likely to be influenced by trust in governmental advice about the nuclear meltdowns, with this trust correlating negatively with perceived radiation risks [26] .…”

Public Participation in Nuclear Waste Management : a Comparative Analysis of the Swedish and Canadian Processes

“…This research can provide valuable insight on how to avoid future siting impasses. Although public opposition to the siting of nuclear waste facilities has become a fairly common topic in research literature (Brotzen, 1995;Flynn et a l, 1995;Freudenburg, 2004;Hine et al, 1997;Inhaber, 1991;Kraft, 2000;Kuhn, 1998;Kunreuther, 1996;Rabe, 2000;Slovic et a l, 1991), it continues to be a major problem for regulatory authorities in nations produeing nuclear waste. Understanding how one country has been able to gain acceptance o f a nuclear waste repository will provide valuable insight to other countries with nuclear waste programs.…”

Risk Perception in Context: The Savannah River Site Stakeholder Study

“…Two criteria were established if fitting a discriminant function: (1) a minimum F-value of 3.84 and (2) the correlation between the predictor variable and at least one of the two functions must be >0. 30. Variables used in the Wilks Method of discriminant analysis were only those whose correlation with one of the two discriminant functions was greater than 0.…”

“…Two criteria were established if fitting a discriminant function: (1) a minimum F-value of 3.84 and (2) the correlation between the predictor variable and at least one of the two functions must be >0. 30.…”