Residents’ Perceptions of Coal Industry Long-Term Pollution in the Jiu Middle Valley (Romania): Premise for Environmental Education

摘要

In Europe, the Romanian Middle Jiu River Valley remains a well-known coal basin in active exploitation. Near the surface coal exploitations are found the two Thermo-Electric Power Plants (TEPP) Rovinari and Turceni surrounded by toxic ash waste dumps of different ages. This paper is based on a survey of 223 participants conducted in the above mentioned TEPP and highlights specific characteristics of living in the Middle Jiu Valley. Using a 127-item questionnaire we have analyzed the contextual link between coal mining pollution perceptions, educational level, predictive behaviors and related environmental education.