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tablets. The licensee is responsible for the safety of its
facilities. This Circular requires that the licensee finance
the public information campaignswithin the perimeter of
the PPI and carry out permanent preventive distribution
of the stable iodine tablets, free of charge, through the
network of pharmacies.
In 2016, a newnational distribution campaign for iodine
tablets, supervised by ASN, is being launched for the
populations located within the zone covered by the PPIs
around the NPPs operated by EDF (see chapter 6). The
purpose of this distribution is to achieve overall population
coverage that is as high as possible, but also to make the
population and the local authorities (mayors) aware of the
potential risks and the instructions to be followed as and
when necessary, through specific communication media
and local information meetings.
Other civil nuclear facilities are liable to release radioactive
iodineintheeventofasevere accident(SaclayandCadarache
nuclear facilities and the Institut Laue-Langevin – ILL – in
Grenoble). The populations located in the zone covered
by their PPI should subsequently benefit from a similar
campaign.
Outside the zone coveredby a PPI, tablets are stockpiled to
cover the rest of the country. In this respect, theMinistries for
Healthand for the Interior decided to create stocks of iodine
tablets, positioned andmanagedby theHealthEmergency
Preparedness and Response Organisation (EPRUS). In
their
département
, each Prefect organises the procedures
for distribution to the population, relying inparticular on
the mayors for this. This arrangement is described in a
circular dated11th July2011. Pursuant to thisCircular, the
Prefects have drawnupplans todistribute iodine tablets in
a radiological emergency situation, which canbe included
in exercises being held for the local implementation of the
major nuclear or radiological accident national response
plan.
1.4.3 Care and treatment of exposed persons
In the event of a radiological emergency situation, a
significant number of people could be contaminated by
radionuclides. This contamination could pose problems
for specific care and treatment by the emergency response
teams.
Circular 800/SGDN/PSE/PPS of 18th February 2011
specifies the national doctrine concerning the use of
emergency and care resources in the event of a terrorist
act involving radioactive substances. These provisions,
which also apply to a nuclear or radiological accident,
aim to implement a unified nationwidemethodology for
the use of resources, in order to optimise efficiency. They
will need to be adapted to the situations encountered.
The
“Medical intervention following a nuclear or radiological
event”
guide, the drafting of which was coordinated by
ASN and which was published in 2008, accompanies
Circular DHOS/HFD/DGSNRNo. 2002/277 of 2ndMay
2002 concerning the organisation of medical care in
the event of a nuclear or radiological accident, giving
all information of use for the medical response teams
in charge of collecting and transporting the injured, as
well as for the hospital staff admitting them to health care
establishments. Under the supervision of the SGDSN, a
working group comprising the authors of this guide was
set up at the end of 2015 to begin its revision in order
to take account of a number of changes to practices that
have taken place since 2008.
1.5 Understanding the long-term
consequences
The “post-accident” phase concerns the handling
over a period of time of the consequences of long-
term contamination of the environment by radioactive
substances following a nuclear accident. It covers the
handling of consequences that are varied (economic,
health, social), by their nature complex and that need
to be dealt with in the short, mediumor even long term,
with a view to returning to a situation considered to be
acceptable.
The conditions for reimbursement for the damage
resulting from a nuclear accident are currently covered
by Act 68-943 of 30th October 1968, amended,
concerning civil liability in the field of nuclear energy.
France has also ratified the protocols signed on
12th February 2004, reinforcing the Paris Convention
of 29th July 1960 and the Brussels Convention of
31st January 1963 concerning civil liability in the field
of nuclear energy. These protocols and the measures
necessary for their implementation are now codified
in the Environment Code (Section I of Chapter VII
of Title IX of Book V). The Green Growth Energy
Transition Act (TECV) of 17th August 2015 makes
provision for the entry into force in February 2016
of these provisions and of new liability thresholds
set by the two protocols, without waiting for their
ratification by all the Signatory States.
Pursuant to the Interministerial Directive of 7th April
2005, and in associationwith theministerial departments
involved, ASNwas taskedwith establishing the framework,
and defining, preparing and taking part in implementing
the necessary provisions for the response to post-accident
situations following a nuclear accident. Post-accident
management of a nuclear accident is a complex subject
withmany aspects and involving numerous players. This
process should benefit from a pluralistic structure more
specifically involving all the stakeholders concerned in
post-accident management preparedness. In order to
draw up the corresponding aspects of doctrine, ASN
created the SteeringCommittee for themanagement of the
Post-Accident Phase of a nuclear accident or radiological
situation (Codirpa) in June 2005 and for which it acts
as Chair and Technical Secretary.
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CHAPTER 05:
RADIOLOGICAL EMERGENCY AND POST-ACCIDENT SITUATIONS
ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2015