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SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE CENTRAL RESEARCH UNIT

Environment Group Research Findings No.21

Managing Radioactive Waste Safely:
Awareness and attitudes of the Scottish public

Nicola Rodger, Scottish Opinion Ltd

Main Findings

• Although most people surveyed recognise that radioactive waste is an important issue to them personally, the majority of them are unfamiliar with the issues.
• Nuclear power stations are perceived to be the main source of radioactive waste in Scotland, and awareness of other sources is patchy.
• When asked to identify the greatest risk to them personally posed by radioactive waste, respondents viewed this to be the leakage of radioactive waste into the environment over time.
• The majority of those surveyed feel that they should be involved in the decision-making process about the management of radioactive waste for both Scotland and the UK as a whole.
• Opinion polls and interactive panels are considered the most effective means of involving the public in the issues surrounding radioactive waste.
• The bodies most trusted to manage radioactive waste safely are the nuclear industry regulators (Scottish Environment Protection Agency and the Environment Agency). Least trusted is the nuclear industry itself (NIREX, British Energy and British Nuclear Fuels Limited).
• Information about the management of radioactive waste provided by environmental groups is most likely to be trusted by the public. Information from the nuclear industry is trusted least.

Introduction

1,000 Scottish adults (age 18+) were interviewed by telephone between 11 and 17 February 2002. All interviews were conducted using CATI (Computer Aided Telephone Interviewing). The sample was made up of respondents in all 73 Scottish Parliamentary constituencies, and is representative of the Scottish adult population by age, sex and social grade. A breakdown of the sample is detailed below:

Table 1 : Sample Breakdown

NB percentages may add up to more than 100 due to rounding

Questions on the survey covered:

• awareness of the issues surrounding radioactive waste
• how important the issue of radioactive waste is to respondents personally
• awareness of the primary sources of radioactive waste
• ranking of the main risks associated with radioactive waste
• awareness of who is responsible for managing policy for the disposal of radioactive waste
• assessment of a number of methods of involving the public in the issue of radioactive waste
• levels of trust in the bodies responsible for managing radioactive waste in the UK

The findings from this survey provide useful background and contextual information for the wider consultation exercise undertaken between January and April 2002 to inform the Scottish Executive as it plans its future consultation programme on the management of radioactive waste.

Awareness of the issues surrounding radioactive waste and its importance to the Scottish public

Radioactive waste is clearly an important issue for those surveyed. The vast majority (71%) rate it as a very or quite important issue to them personally. Of these, 35% rate it as a very important issue. Younger people are less inclined to see radioactive waste as an issue important to them _ 61% of 18-24 year olds, and 65% of 25-34 year olds rate it as very or quite important.

However, less than a third (30%) feel that they are actually familiar with the issues surrounding radioactive waste, and only 4% claim to be very familiar with the issues.

Fig. 1: Familiarity with the issues surrounding radioactive waste

Higher levels of awareness were measured amongst men _ 35% claim they are very or quite familiar with the issues versus 26% of women. However, both sexes rate the issue of radioactive waste of equal importance to them personally.

The lowest levels of awareness are amongst 18-24 year olds. Only 17% of this age group feel very or quite familiar with the issues. Highest awareness exists amongst 45-54 year olds _ 40% are familiar with the issues.

Respondents in the Highlands and Islands appear to be more familiar with the issues surrounding radioactive waste. In this area 40% claim to be either very or quite familiar (it should be noted that the sample for this area (92) is small). They are also more likely than the average Scottish adult to rate the issue of radioactive waste as very important to them personally (45% against an average of 35%).

When asked to identify the primary source of radioactive waste in Scotland from a list of nine sources, nuclear power stations were (correctly) identified as the main source by 63% of respondents. No other single source was chosen by a significant proportion of the sample _ 8% believe that submarines and bombs are the primary source, followed by 4% for each of gas or coal fired power stations, mobile phones, and natural radioactivity.

Male respondents are more likely to be aware that nuclear power stations are the main source of nuclear waste with 67% identifying it as the main source, compared to 59% of women.

The leakage of radioactive waste into the environment is perceived to be the main risk associated with storing radioactive waste. Over two fifths (44%) of respondents selected this as the main risk to them. A further third of the population see an accident causing a release of radioactivity as the main risk, with 16% citing the possibility of terrorists targeting a radioactive site.

Awareness and attitudes towards the responsibility for managing radioactive waste

Only a minority of respondents (20%), are aware that the Scottish Executive is responsible for creating the policy for managing the disposal of radioactive waste in Scotland. Less than half (42%) of the population believe that the UK and the Scottish parliaments are jointly responsible.

Those surveyed clearly believe that they should be consulted on the management of radioactive waste not only in Scotland but also in the UK as a whole. There was little difference in responses when respondents were asked about involvement in decisions on this issue _ 69% say that Scots should be involved in decision-making for Scotland, and 63% say they should be involved in decision-making for the UK as a whole.

Rating of methods of involving the public in the issue of radioactive waste

Respondents were asked to rate nine possible methods of involving the public in the issue of radioactive waste on a scale from extremely effective to not at all effective. Respondents were also given the opportunity to state that they were not aware of the method they were being asked to rate (see Fig 2).

Public polls score the highest of all the potential methods; 73% of respondents rate it as extremely or quite effective. The lowest rated method is asking for written responses to a government consultation paper. Just over a third of respondents (37%) feel this would be an effective method of involving the public.

Not surprisingly, younger age groups (especially those under 25) are more likely to rate Internet based questionnaires highly as a method of involvement. Over half of the under 25s (56%), rate them extremely or quite effective against an average of 45%. Consumer polls are most highly rated by 35-44 year olds (83% rate them effective against an average of 73%).

There were two methods that a significant proportion of respondents were unable to comment upon, as they did not know what they were. These are Citizens' Juries (18% were unable to comment), and Agenda 21 Groups (25% were unable to comment).

Fig. 2: Rating of methods of involving the public in the issue of radioactive waste
% of respondents rating each method very or quite effective

Trust in bodies involved in the management of radioactive waste

Respondents were asked about their level of trust in a range of bodies responsible for the disposal of radioactive waste. The most trusted body is the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA). Nearly a quarter (24%) of respondents have complete trust in SEPA and a total of 67% trust SEPA to some degree. The least trusted body is British Nuclear Fuels Limited (BNFL). Nearly half (45%) of respondents say that they do not trust BNFL to ensure that radioactive waste is managed in the interests of public safety (29% not at all).

Finally, respondents were asked to what extent they trust the information regarding management of radioactive waste provided by the main groups of bodies involved in the issue. With regard to information provision, the order of trust changes among survey respondents. The highest levels of trust are expressed for information provided by environmental groups such as Friends of the Earth and Greenpeace. The majority of respondents (71%) say that they trust the information they supply to some degree, while almost a third (31%) state that they trust completely the information environmental groups provide.

The nuclear industry regulators (the HSE, SEPA etc) are also a trusted source of information, with over two thirds (67%) of respondents trusting their information either completely or a little. Over half (53%) of respondents trust information provided by the Scottish Parliament / the Scottish Executive. Once again, the nuclear industry itself is the least trusted source.

Conclusions

• The level of interest and concern in matters related to radioactive waste and its management expressed by the survey respondents is not matched by the level of awareness of the issues. There is clearly a deficit to be addressed in the area of informing the public of the relevant dimensions of the debate to inform their high levels of interest and concern.
• The evidence in this survey suggests that it is among women and younger age groups that awareness raising and informing on these issues is most needed.
• Scottish adults in the survey are also unclear about where responsibility lies for developing policy in this area, and that the matter of radioactive waste management is devolved to the Scottish Parliament, and no longer lies with Westminster.
• SEPA, Scottish government and the environmental agencies enjoy the trust and confidence of the general public in matters related to the management of radioactive waste and the information they provide on these matters, while the nuclear industry does not.
• The methods considered to be most effective in engaging the public in this issue were opinion polls, interactive panels and public hearings and inquiries, illustrating a range of methods which access public attitudes and engage the public in considered debate to varying degrees. Clearly, the most traditional method of engagement (a consultation paper) is least popular.
• More recent consultative innovations (Citizens' panels and Agenda 21 groups) are not well enough understood to allow the general public to assess their effectiveness.