The earlier studies show that there is visible suspicion towards nuclear waste. Today, about one third (32%) of respondents consider that the disposal of nuclear waste in the Finnish bedrock is safe. Sceptics are more numerous, a little less than half (48%) of the population. The figures are slightly more sceptical than the year before, but practically the same as those from two years ago and close to the mean value for the last ten years. The stability in these figures shows that attitudes toward nuclear waste are not directly connected to support of nuclear power in general. During the first ten years of the follow-up period (1983-1993), confidence was, however, slightly weaker than now [Figure 7.].

The reservations can be partly explained by the fact that two-thirds (68%) of respondents consider nuclear waste to be a continuous threat to the life of future generations. Only one in five disagree (19%). In the light of this part of the survey, the concern over waste management has somewhat decreased from the previous year; however, it is still close to the usual level during the preceding years. The trend in attitudes throughout the study period indicates that the ideas pertaining to the threat are persistent. Even though the beginning of the follow-up period stands out as somewhat more reserved in this study as well, no major mitigation has been seen in attitudes during the 27 research years [Figure 8.].

More than two out of five (42%) now accept the idea that it would be better to keep nuclear waste in its present intermediate storage and wait for new solutions rather than to finally deposit it in the bedrock. Slightly more than one in four (28%) disagree. Comparison with the previous year shows that the support for a 'time for thinking' has decreased. It can be observed that the popularity of the idea has clearly decreased during the follow-up period. The overall change in this direction from the beginning of the 1990s (62% supported intermediate storage in 1991) is great. However, the interpretation should consider the decision taken in 1994 to prohibit the export of nuclear waste, which restricted the potential range of decisions [Figure 9.].