Perception of Risks from Wood Combustion and Traffic Induced Air Pollution: Evidence from Northern Europe

Kati Orru (), Pekka Tiittanen, Sari Ung-Lanki, Hans Orru and Timo Lanki
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Kati Orru: Institute of Social Sciences, University of Tartu, Lossi 36, 51003 Tartu, Estonia
Pekka Tiittanen: Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
Sari Ung-Lanki: Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland
Hans Orru: Institute of Family Medicine and Public Health, Faculty of Medicine, University of Tartu, Ravila 19, 50411 Tartu, Estonia
Timo Lanki: Department of Health Security, Finnish Institute for Health and Welfare, Neulaniementie 4, FI-70701 Kuopio, Finland

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 15, 1-17

Abstract: The health effects of particulate matter, increasing emissions from transportation and requisites for making use of biofuels brings up the need to understand how individuals interpret air-pollution-related risks from wood burning and traffic. We aim to clarify the extent to which perceived risks from road-traffic and wood-smoke can be explained by the individual psychological, social status-related and socio-institutional factors in the case of two Northern European countries, Finland and Estonia. This approach elucidates which of the closely intertwined factors shape the perception of risks from air pollution in different socio-institutional contexts and for different air pollution sources. The study uses data from cross-sectional population surveys conducted among 1112 Finnish and 1000 Estonian residents about environmental health risk perception and coping. Binary logistic regression analysis demonstrated that in both countries’ cases, the perceived personal and general risk from traffic exhaust and wood-smoke can be explained by the perception of exposure to pollution and, also, by the level of knowledge of, the worry about and the possible symptoms from environmental health factors. The perceived vulnerability due to poor health further sensitises individuals towards risks from air pollution. Higher trust towards state institutions in guaranteeing a healthy living environment and greater perceived openness about the risks may attenuate the feelings of vulnerability to air pollution risks in Finland compared to Estonia. The ingrained appeal for wood burning may explain the higher acceptance of exhausts from wood-burning compared to traffic. This may lead to scant support for measures to reduce emissions from wood combustion.

Keywords: perceived risk; traffic exhaust; wood-smoke; cardio-vascular disease; Northern Europe (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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