Perception of risk at toxic sites

Thesis/Dissertation · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1986

OSTI ID:6977538

Mitchell, J V

The dissertation compares the perceptions or risk of agency planners and residents at toxic sites to better understand the reasons for prevalent conflicts that frustrate the objectives of both groups. Recent studies of how people use information to make decisions involving risk indicate that what information means to people at stages of specific political conflicts and the level of trust in the information are critical to risk perception. Personnel at the four agencies conduct toxic site planning in Michigan, the residents near two sites, and the members of a statewide resident coalition comprised the sample. They were asked to rate the risk and qualitative characteristics of different hazards and to indicate their reactions to information about a hypothetical site. Both groups viewed the risk of a toxic site as relatively unfamiliar. Residents rated toxic sites as much higher in risk than any of the other hazards. Agency personnel rated the risk much lower than residents. Residents viewed mishaps from a toxic site a more likely and more damaging than agency personnel. Residents rated the off site risk of a hypothetical site as very high as soon as contamination on site is verified by testing. Both groups felt action should be taken at the hypothetical site, but doubted the adequacy and timeliness of potential Superfund response.

• Research Organization: Michigan Univ., Ann Arbor (USA)
• OSTI ID: 6977538
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

29 ENERGY PLANNING, POLICY, AND ECONOMY
290300* -- Energy Planning & Policy-- Environment
Health
& Safety
FEDERAL REGION V
HAZARDS
MANAGEMENT
MATERIALS
MICHIGAN
NORTH AMERICA
PLANNING
RISK ASSESSMENT
TOXIC MATERIALS
USA
WASTE DISPOSAL
WASTE MANAGEMENT