ASN Report 2015

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• processing and measurement in a laboratory of
samples taken from the various compartments of
the environment, whether or not close to facilities
liable to discharge radionuclides.
Every year, IRSN takes more than 25,000 samples in
all compartments of the environment (excluding the
remote-measurement networks).
The radioactivity levels measured in France are stable
and situated at very low levels, generally at the detection
sensitivity threshold of the measuring instruments. The
artificial radioactivity detected in the environment
results essentially from fallout from the atmospheric
tests of nuclear weapons carried out in the 1960s,
and from the Chernobyl accident. Traces of artificial
radioactivity associated with discharges can sometimes
be detected near installations. To this can be added
very local contaminations resulting from incidents or
past industrial activities, and which do not represent
a health risk.
On the basis of the nationwide radioactivity monitoring
results and in accordance with the provisions of ASN
resolution 2008-DC-0099 of 29th April 2008, as
amended, IRSN regularly publishes a report on the
radioactive status of the French environment. The first
issue of this report, published at the beginning of 2013,
covered the year 2010 and the first half of 2011. The
second issue of this report, published at the end of
2015, corresponds to the period 2011-2014.
In addition to the publication of the above-mentioned
radiological status reports, IRSN also produces regional
radiological findings to provide more precise information
about a given area (see box).
4.3 Measurement quality
Articles R.1333-11 and R.1333-11-1 of the Public Health
Code require the creation of a National Monitoring
Network (RNM) and a procedure to have the radioactivity
measurement laboratories approved by ASN. The RNM
working methods were defined by the above-mentioned
ASN resolution of 29th April 2008.
This network is being deployed for two main reasons:
• to ensure the transparency of information on
environmental radioactivity by making the results
of this environmental monitoring and information
about the radiological impact of nuclear activities in
France available to the public on a specific website
);
• to pursue the implementation of a quality assurance
policy for environmental radioactivity measurements
by setting up a system of laboratory approvals granted
by ASN resolution, pursuant to Article l. 592-21 of
the Environment Code.
The approvals cover all components of the environment,
water, soils or sediments, all biological matrices (fauna,
flora, milk), aerosols and atmospheric gases. The
measurements concern the main artificial or natural,
gamma, beta or alpha emitting radionuclides, as well
as the ambient gamma dosimetry (see table 9). The list
of the types of measurements covered by an approval
was extended by ASN resolution 2015-DC-0500
of 26th February 2015, approved by the Order of
3rd June 2015, which modifies the above-mentioned
ASN resolution of 29th April 2008, in order to incorporate
into the RNM the results of the foodstuffs health checks
carried out on behalf of the DGAL and the DGCCRF.
In total, about fifty types of measurements are covered by
approvals. There are just as many corresponding inter-
laboratory comparison tests. These tests are organised
by IRSN in a 5-year cycle, which corresponds to the
maximum approval validity period.
4.3.1 Laboratory approval procedure
ASN resolution 2008-DC-0099 of 29th April 2008,
modified by resolution 2015-DC-0500 of 26th February
2015, specifies the organisation of the national network
and sets the approval arrangements for the environmental
radioactivity measurement laboratories.
The regional radiological findings approach
The purpose of the regional radiological findings produced
by IRSN is, over an extensive area (covering several
departments), to establish an updated baseline of the levels
of radioactivity in certain environmental compartments that
are characteristic of the area in question. Depending on the
scale of the findings and the environment studied, emphasis
is placed on typical agricultural crops and livestock production
for the area concerned, fishery products or the natural bio-
indicators.
This baseline aims to take into account firstly of the
radiological «background noise» associated with the natural
radioactivity and the persistence of old atmospheric fallout
(nuclear weapons tests and the Chernobyl accident) and
secondly of the influence of current or past discharges from
any nuclear installations present in the area. In the event
of discharges related to an incident or accident, this baseline
would serve as a comparison benchmark and help orient the
deployment of reinforced monitoring.
Since the regional radiological findings approach was initiated
in 2008, seven radiological findings (Val de Loire, Rhone
Valley, North-East area, Nord-Normandie, New Caledonia,
“persistence zones” findings, mining radiological findings)
have been published or are being drafted.
The corresponding reports are available on the IRSN website,
or the RNM website,
UNDERSTAND
154 CHAPTER 04: REGULATION OF NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES AND EXPOSURE TO IONISING RADIATION
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015