Risk-communication issues in radiation safety: еvaluation of public awareness in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad region on the activities of the nuclear industry and public understanding of the hazards

In 2016, St. Petersburg Research Institute of Radiation Hygiene named after Professor P.V. Ramzaev developed a Program for the radiation risk communication management for the adequate perception risks associated with the use of various technologies in the nuclear industry by the public. Carrying out sociological research is one of the stages of this program. The aim of the analysis presented in the article is to study the population’s awareness of radiation safety issues and its attitude to further development of the nuclear industry. The data used in this analysis is a part of a large sociological survey conducted in St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region The sociological research was conducted by the method of a selective questionnaire survey among the adult population permanently residing in the territory of St. Petersburg and the Leningrad Region. The volume of the sample studied was 2369 respondents: 1006 in St. Petersburg and 1363 in the Leningrad Region, including Sosnovy Bor – 401. The analysis showed that the population of all the studied territories estimates the environmental situation as being mainly favorable. The residents consider the main environmental problems in all areas studied to be a collection, removal, storage, disposal of garbage, as well as air and water pollution. The population of the region is relatively poorly informed about the current projects in the nuclear industry. One-third of the inhabitants of the region perceives the Leningrad nuclear power plant as a source of danger. Respondents see the main danger in the possibility of an accident on it. There is a sharply negative attitude of the population towards the construction of radioactive waste disposal sites anywhere in the region. According to the results of the study, it can be concluded that the population of the studied region is poorly informed about the existing radiation situation and the nuclear industry projects. It requires an optimization of the choice of methods for risk communication. 

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