Abstract:
In February of 1996 a study of current and prior residents of the
neighborhood adjacent to the Woolfolk Chemical Works Plant
(a.k.a. Canadyne, a.k.a. SureCo, a.ka. the Dust House) in Fort
Valley, Georgia was commissioned to assess psychological and
social impacts stemming from the above-named chemical plant~
All aspects of the study were informed by the collective expertise of
the study team and by extant peer-reviewed literature, on the
subject of the perception of risk (especially toxicological risk) and
the human experience of contamination (e.g., Edelstein, 1988;
Kraus, Malmfors, & Slavic, 1992; Slovic, 1987}. The study had the
following, specific objectives:
1. To interview all adult plaintiffs in the Jacob's Alley case as well
as all adult plaintiffs in at least one of six related cases whose
property' (or properties) had been tested for contaminants;
2. To examine specific expressions of perceived risk, particularly
those which relate to fear, dread, control, uncertainty' and trust;
3. To obtain individual respondents' perceptions and qualitative
evaluations of home, neighborhood, community, and plant;
4. To examine affective and emotive responses to neighborhood
and residential stimuli;
5. To record respondents' thinking and concerns about their past,
current and future health, as well as general feelings regarding
peace-of-mind;
6. To record self-reported signs of emotional and physical distress;
7. To obtain information about interviewees' experiences and
opinions about testing for contaminants, damage remediation, and
lay/ expert communication.