Following-up on Gallup’s results that support for nuclear power is at an all-time high, a recent study from market research firm TNS Sofres looks at opinions on the topic of recycling used nuclear fuel. Presented as part of AREVA’s International Recycling Day in February, the study “Nuclear energy and recycling opportunities: the perceptions in Europe and the United States,” surveyed the ‘informed public’ and opinion leaders from seven different countries for their perspectives.
The study looked at public perceptions of nuclear energy, the role that used nuclear fuel plays in opinions, and how this topic is shaping potential for expansion of the nuclear industry across the globe. The clear messages from this survey are that management of used nuclear fuel remains a significant issue with regard to industry growth and that the “well-informed” group is more in favor of recycling. Additionally, opinion-leaders felt that the authorities had not fully grasped the challenges posed by used fuel management, demanding immediate action and placing greater trust in the industry itself.
For the United States, the driver for acceptance is also a matter of information and education. When asked “In fact, 96% of the materials contained in used nuclear fuel can be recovered and recycled immediately or later inside nuclear reactors. Would you say that…this supports the idea that nuclear energy is a solution for the future,” an overwhelming majority (87%) of American respondents agreed.
Read the entire study and watch for more information on recycling.
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