The earlier measurements show that there is visible suspicion towards nuclear waste. Today, more than one in four (28%) consider that the disposal of nuclear waste in the Finnish bedrock is safe. There are more who are in doubt, slightly less than half (47%) of the population. The figures are slightly more sceptical than the year before, but close to the mean value of the last ten years. During the first ten years of follow-up (1983-1993), confidence was even weaker [Figure 7.].

The reservations are partly explained by the fact that the majority (70%) consider nuclear waste to be a continuous threat to the life of future generations. The share is somewhat greater than a year ago when the concern about waste reached its lowest figure up to date (65%). There are no clear differences in a longer-term examination. The present result is factually the same as in eight measurements preceding the last one. Even in light of this meter, concern about waste has eased off slightly since the early years of the follow-up period. All in all, the threat experiences proved to be fairly persistent (no figure).

Two out of five (40%) accept the notion that it would be better to keep nuclear waste in its present intermediate storage and wait for new solutions rather than to definitively deposit it in the bedrock. One in four (24%) disagree. Although the change from the previous year is small, the support for 'consideration time' has clearly diminished since the early 90s. However, the 1994 decision to prohibit the export of nuclear waste, which greatly limited the possible solutions, should be taken into account in the interpretation of the figures. (This question was not included in the 1994-96 material.) [Figure 8.]

Attitudes towards nuclear waste are, on average, less negative in the communities where the existing nuclear power plants are located than they are in the rest of Finland. Confidence in safe disposal is significantly more widespread in these communities. The results in the earlier sections of the research series should also be remembered in connection with the examination. The results have continuously shown that in principle the residents of both Eurajoki and Loviisa are prepared to accept, i.e. dispose of, nuclear waste in the area of their own municipality. The present study shows an observably more reserved attitude towards nuclear waste in both municipalities compared to the previous year's results (no figure).