A risk may seem more or less tolerable depending on our neighbors' attitudes and how much they are risking. Questions of reasonable risk are often overridden by moral issues. When pollution is seen as immoral, then balancing the costs of cleanup against the risks of harm is irrelevant. Moral principles are not subject to cost benefit analyses. Similarly, what may be at issue is not the size of the risk, but the fairness of the distribution of risks.
Sandman admits that probabilistic risk statements are genuinely hard to understand.
However they can be understood with effort. Individuals will resist expending this effort when they themselves cannot control their exposure to the risk. The element of control and empowerment is key to effective risk communication. Dealing with Uncertainty Sandman argues that equity and control are key issues which must be addressed in order to effectively communicate risks to the public. When coerced, people become stubborn.