APPENDIX D
Summary of Survey Responses
Where do scientists get more reliable data? In principle, there are several possible sources: the scientific literature is the most common source (76.67%) of POPs information followed by conferences (56.67%) and the Internet (43.33%). Mass media, such as magazines, newspapers, TV and radio were cited by only 30% of respondents as a source of information.
Since most pesticide POPs have not been used for many years and significant progress has been made in reducing emissions of POPs byproducts in the USA, many American participants are interested in POPs management policies aiming at new substances identified as POPs.
American participants indicated that the information and data on POPs are easily and quickly available. The Chinese participants noted that information on POPs is not easily available in China.
Participants indicated that POPs issues are not widely understood by the general public in either China or the US. POPs issues are widely understood by US government officials and by professionals and scientists in China.
Chinese respondents indicated that the lack of financial and technical supports are barriers to timely and effective information exchange. Among Chinese respondents, 27% indicated that language is an important barrier to information exchange on POPs but no Americans indicated that language was a barrier.
A complete summary of the survey responses is available in Chinese from the Ph.D. thesis (Zhang Hong, 2005) at the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
