Title: Nuclear community considering threats and benefits of final disposal. Local opinions regarding the spent nuclear fuel repository in Finland

Authors: Matti Kojo; Mika Kari; Tapio Litmanen

Addresses: School of Management/Political Science, 33014 University of Tampere, Finland ' Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, 40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland ' Department of Social Sciences and Philosophy, 40014 University of Jyväskylä, Finland

Abstract: This paper focuses on local opinion regarding the siting of a spent nuclear fuel repository in the municipality of Eurajoki, Finland. The research question is how the residents perceive the final disposal. The analysis showed that positive perceptions regarding spent nuclear fuel siting issues are more likely to be found among men and more affluent residents, which can be viewed as an indication of the 'white male effect'. Contrastingly, women and less-advantaged people are more likely to resist the disposal of spent nuclear fuel in 'their backyard'. Two approaches, 'nuclear oases' and 'industry awareness', are used to interpret the findings.

Keywords: spent nuclear fuel; spent fuel repositories; final disposal; expansion; local opinion; Finland; local residents; nuclear energy; nuclear power.

DOI: 10.1504/IJETM.2012.047231

International Journal of Environmental Technology and Management, 2012 Vol.15 No.2, pp.124 - 145

Accepted: 31 Oct 2011
Published online: 17 Dec 2014 *

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