Citizen participation in post-accidental recovery

Abstract

Recovery process from nuclear accidents can be smoother and faster if general public is involved—ethically, people have a right to be involved, especially if it brings positive changes, such as their formation in radiation protection, acquiring a radiation protection culture, and potentiating their resilience to meet unexpected changes. One effective way to do it is to encourage and implicate citizens to work as scientists, and thus as citizen scientists, under guidance from professionals. Citizen science is a growing field with potential benefits for citizens as it engages them in research and educates them on topics of concern. Interactions between citizens, scientists, and other stakeholders (e.g., local authorities, environmental monitoring agencies, health organizations) enhance the possibility of positive societal changes to emerge. With advancements in information technology and a rise in frequency of use and number of users, mobile apps are used in every field. Because of their widespread availability at little economic cost, apps can enhance citizens’ participation in science. Use of apps in radiation protection (RP) and dose monitoring is relatively recent, mainly since the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant (NPP) accident in 2011. The SHAMISEN SINGS project—supported by the European Commission (EC)–funded European Joint Programme for the Integration of Radiation Protection Research (CONCERT) project—explores ways citizen scientists can monitor dose, health, and well-being and share information through mobile apps which are widely available today. Consultations between stakeholders of the project also enable citizens to participate in the design and evaluation of apps.