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Social Implications and Public Confidence: Risk Perception and Communication

  • Chapter
The Release of Genetically Modified Microorganisms—REGEM 2

Part of the book series: Federation of European Microbiological Societies Symposium Series ((FEMS,volume 63))

Abstract

Public attitudes to risk have developed into an important area of concern for both operators and regulators of industrial processes as they face increasing demands to explain the likely consequences of potentially hazardous products and activities to both workers and the general public, and to the environment. There is public concern about the long-term health risks arising from industrial processes and products; risks from accidental releases; the effects of exposure to chemicals at low dose levels; and the inter-generational effects of such exposures. These problems are not only crucial areas of concern for the health and safety of the public, they also raise important questions of equity, distributional effects, efficiency of resource use and economic planning. The sine qua non of any action to address such issues has to be a careful assessment of the role and effects of information generation and dissemination - the question of risk communication.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Environmental Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich, NR4 7TJ, UK

    Ray Kemp

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  1. Ray Kemp
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Glasgow, Glasgow, Scotland, UK

    Duncan E. S. Stewart-Tull

  2. Medical School, University of Newcastle upon Tyne, Newcastle upon Tyne, UK

    Max Sussman

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© 1992 Plenum Press, New York

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Kemp, R. (1992). Social Implications and Public Confidence: Risk Perception and Communication. In: Stewart-Tull, D.E.S., Sussman, M. (eds) The Release of Genetically Modified Microorganisms—REGEM 2. Federation of European Microbiological Societies Symposium Series, vol 63. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0493-7_10

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4613-0493-7_10

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7654-8

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4613-0493-7

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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