National Poll: Americans Split on Safety of Nuclear Energy

— Most Support EPA Designation of Carbon Dioxide as Public Health Threat

— Majorities See Danger in Nuclear Waste

— Wind Energy Perceived as Safest

— One-Third See More Nuclear Weapons as Plants Increase

FAIRFIELD, Conn., June 24 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — A new national poll of 800 residents by the Sacred Heart University Polling Institute found a nearly even split between those suggesting nuclear energy was very or somewhat safe (46.1%) and those who said somewhat dangerous or very dangerous (44.7%).

“Americans are split about whether nuclear power is safe or not, and many people have specific security concerns about nuclear power. The two dangers that concern a majority of Americans are the problems with radioactive waste storage, a top criticism of nuclear power, and possible plant meltdowns,” says Dr. Josh Klein, assistant professor in the Department of Criminal Justice at Sacred Heart University.

A majority of Americans (58.4%), however, indicated that nuclear energy’s radioactive waste is a danger that humans will face for thousands of years to come.

Over one-third of respondents, 36.8%, expect the number of nuclear weapons to increase worldwide as a result of building more nuclear power plants.

Poll respondents did consider other energy sources as significantly more safe than nuclear energy. A large majority, 94.6%, saw wind energy as very or somewhat safe. This was followed by river and tidal energy (80.0%), geothermal energy (68.5%), fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas (56.1%), and biofuels (55.6%).

http://sev.prnewswire.com/oil-energy/20090624/DC3751424062009-1.html

June 24, 2009 - Posted by Christina Macpherson | politics, USA | antinuclear, nuclear, nuclear wastes, radioactive, uranium