Effects of Management Strategy and of Site Selection Process for High-level Radioactive Waste Disposalon Acceptance of Siting Repository in a Germany Case

Abstract

This study examined effects of a management strategy and of site selection process for high-level radioactive waste disposal on acceptance of siting repository in a German case. Data from 1,000 German residents, assigned by population composition ratio of 16 states, were collected in 2018 by internet survey. We considered evaluation of two policies: management strategy and site selection process. We also hypothesized own and national evaluations of the policies were relevant factors on the acceptance of siting repository. Results indicated that own evaluation of management strategy and site selection process directly had an effect on acceptance of siting repository, while own and national evaluation of management strategy had effects on own and national evaluation of site selection process, respectively. In addition, latent variables affected by the policies were different depending on which policy and/or which evaluation. National evaluations of both policies had effects on personal benefit, while own evaluations of both policies had effects on social benefit. Own evaluation of management policy had an effect on intergenerational subjective norms, while national evaluation of site selection process has an effect on stigma.