MOSCOW, September 28 (RIA Novosti) - A survey released Wednesday by a leading Russian polling agency shows that nearly two-thirds of Russia's residents favor further development of the nuclear power industry, while only a quarter want all nuclear programs scrapped.
Forty-nine percent of those interviewed by VTsIOM believe the government should focus on developing new, environmentally friendly energies, including solar, wind and tidal power.
More than a half of the respondents (57%) think a nuclear accident on par with the 1986 Chernobyl disaster could happen, but 28 % argue a repeat is unlikely. Just 6% are almost certain there will be no reoccurrence.
Forty-seven percent believe the biggest threat to the environment comes from the shipment and storage of nuclear waste, but 32-35% contend that industrial production, logging and household waste dumping cause more environmental and health hazards than the nuclear industry does.
Twenty-nine percent call nuclear power stations the main source of environmental hazards and one-quarter (25%) see means of transportation like motor vehicles, trains and airplanes as the most damaging.
A sample of 1,600 adults from 153 urban and rural communities across Russia were polled September 24 and 25, with a statistical error of 3.4%.
