HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT: THE ROLE OF JOURNALISTS IN DECISION MAKING PROCESS

The journalists are crucial for informing and education of general public about facts related to hazardous and radioactive waste management. Radio programs, TV and newspapers are daily reporting on relevant facts and news. In general, it is true that the majority of journalists are interested more in so called daily politics than in educating general public on certain technical or scientific topics. Therefore, hazardous and radioactive waste management was introduced to Croatian general public in last ten years mainly through various news on site selection of radioactive waste disposal facilities and some problems related to hazardous waste management. This paper presents APO’s experience with journalists in last ten years includes program and activities referring informing and educating of journalists from all media. The first example describes a very good and close co-operation APO has established with journalists. The second example describes how it is difficult to realize full co-operation particularly with those journalists who would like to make sensational news on matters regarding management of hazardous and radioactive waste