Fafo-report 260

Erik Hansen and Arnfinn Tønnessen

Environment and Living Conditions on the Kola Peninsula

ISBN 82-7422-231-8
1998 268 p NOK 255,- Order no: 260 Order

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The reform period in Russia has not only entailed a series of challenges to social and economic policy, but has also cast new light on the sins of the past. The population has lived through nearly seven years of economic transformation, political turmoil and social upheaval. Nevertheless, in many spheres of life the legacy of the Soviet period continues to influence the lives of people all over Russia. One such sad legacy is the state of the environment in several regions, where people depend on polluting and sometimes dangerous industrial installations for their livelihood.

This report presents the results of a survey covering a representative sample of major population centres on the Kola Peninsula. The report consists of two separate parts. Part I contains an analysis of the living conditions of the Kola population and describes the changes which have occurred in these conditions during the period 1992 - 1997. The report describes demographic factors, employment, income distribution, education, housing, health and migration. Part II of the report is an analysis of the population’s knowledge of, perception of, and attitudes to various environmental hazards, with particular focus on radiological emergencies involving nuclear installations of which there are many on the peninsula. The report presents a number of conclusions with implications for disaster preparedness in the case of an accident involving the release of radioactivity to the atmosphere occuring in this region.

The survey described in the report was carried out in April-May 1997 as a cooperative project between The University of Oslo, The Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority, Fafo - Institute of Applied Social Sciences and Murmansk Regional Committee of State Statistics.

Preface

Part I Development of Living Conditions, 1992–1997

Chapter 1 Introduction
1.1 Purpose of and background to the report
1.2 Reform and social change
1.3 Macro-Economic Changes 1992–1997: Shock therapy and beyond
1.4 Privatisation
1.5 Organised crime, corruption and the mafiya
1.6 Living Conditions Analysis and the Myth of Russian Differentness
1.7 Description of the Survey Area

Chapter 2 Demography, population and migration
2.1 Comparing population figures 1992–1997
2.2 Overall population development
2.4 Mortality
2.5 Nationalities and indigenous peoples
2.6 Migration
2.7 Who are the migrants?

Chapter 3 Households
3.1 Economic transition and the changing role of households
3.2 Household size
3.3 Household types and dependency patterns

Chapter 4 Health 45
4.1 A note on methodology
4.2 Prevalence of illness
4.3 Use of health services

Chapter 5 Education

Chapter 6 Housing and Residential Environment
6.1 Housing types
6.2 Ownership of housing
6.3 Amenities
6.4 Dwelling space and crowdedness
6.5 Indoor environment
6.6 Outdoor environment

Chapter 7 Employment
7.1 Overview of the labour market
7.2 The employed population
7.3 Working hours
7.4 Sectoral distribution of employment
7.5 Employment by industries
7.6 The armed forces sector
7.7 Additional employment
7.8 Underemployment
7.9 Wage arrears
7.10 Unemployment
7.11 Hidden unemployment
7.12 Mobility in the labour market
7.13 Economic inactivity

Chapter 8 Poverty and Wealth
8.1 Income levels and income distribution
8.2 Wage formation systems in Russia
8.3 Measurement of income
8.4 Development of real wages
8.6 Poverty and hardship
8.7 Concluding comments

Part II Environmental concern on the Kola Peninsula

Introduction and background

Chapter 9 Environmental Issues in Murmansk Oblast
9.1 The environmental issues in a heavy industry context
9.2 Conventional pollution issues

Chapter 10 Sources of Possible Radiological Emergencies
10.1 Military Nuclear installations
10.2 The Icebreaker fleet – Murmansk Shipping Company (MSCo)
10.3 The Kolskaya Nuclear Power Plant
10.4 Comparing different radiological emergency scenarios

Chapter 11 Health Impact and Intervention in the Case of a Radiological Emergency
11.1 Health effects of radiological emergencies
11.2 Source term and exposure pathways
11.3 Interventions and countermeasures

Chapter 12 Concerns and Risk Perceptions
12.1 Personal and general concerns
12.2 Risk Scale Evaluation
12.3 Risk perception from various industrial installations

Chapter 13 Attitudes to Environmental Problems
13.1 General environmental attitude issues
13.2 Regional differences in the weighting of different environmental issues
13.3 Regional differences in environmental concerns in the 1992 survey
13.4 Preferences for contributions from foreign authorities

Chapter 14 Ionising Radiation Threats – A Steady State and An Emergency Perspective
14.1 The issue of nuclear accidents and radioactive pollution in a steady state perspective
14.2 Respondents’ expectations of another nuclear accident within ten years
14.3 An emergency perspective: Coping styles and anticipated behavioural response in the case of a radiological emergency.
14.4 Anticipated travel Patterns in a hypothetical nuclear accident situation
14.5 Migration behaviour in a steady state and emergency perspective.

Chapter 15 Mass Media and Information Aspects of A Radiological Emergency Situation
15.1 The mass media in the Murmansk region
15.2 Mass media questions in the current study
15.3 Trust in an emergency situation
15.4 Preferences for warning channels and advice givers in a radiological emergency situation

Chapter 16 Conclusions

List of References
Appendix 1 Description Of The 1992 And 1997 Living Conditions Surveys Of The Kola Peninsula
Appendix 2 Comparative materials for part two