LES ACTIVITÉS NUCLÉAIRES : RAYONNEMENTS IONISANTS ET RISQUES POUR LA SANTÉ ET L’ENVIRONNEMENT The fourth French national action plan was published in early 2021. It fits into the framework of the 4th National Health and Environment Plan which now coordinates all the sector-based plans concerning health or the environment, which is itself driven by the National Public Health Strategy. It should have covered the 2020-2024 period, but the Covid-19 pandemic delayed completion of the regulatory framework and the initiation of certain actions. The plan has therefore been extended for a period of two years and will end in 2026. The relevance, effectiveness and efficiency of its actions will undergo an evaluation. The lessons learned will be used to develop the next plan. This plan follows on from the preceding plans. It can be broken down into 13 actions focusing on three lines: Line 1 aims to implement an information and awareness-raising strategy. The health issues surrounding radon require that awareness-raising and information measures be continued with all stakeholders (regional authorities, employers, building professionals, health professionals, teachers, etc.) and the general public, both nationally and locally. Local measures for integrated management of the radon risk in the home must be promoted and supported. A specific communication campaign will target smokers, because they constitute the population the most at risk of developing lung cancer linked to cumulative exposure to radon and tobacco. The operational implementation of the information system incorporating all the radon monitoring results, as well as the consolidation and centralising of the existing measures, would appear moreover to be essential for informing the public. Line 2 aims to continue to improve knowledge. The publication in 2018 of a new map on the municipal scale, based on three radon-potential zones, enabled a graded approach to radon risk management to be implemented. This map must nevertheless be improved so as to better integrate certain geological factors that could facilitate radon transfer to buildings (karst zones in particular). Furthermore, the 4th Radon Plan provides for the updating of knowledge of exposure of the French population by organising the collection of measurement data obtained in particular during the local awareness-raising operations organised by the ARS and the regional authorities to cover the areas for which insufficient data are available. These operations consist in proposing screening kits to the inhabitants of a given region to raise their awareness of the radon risk. Lastly, line 3 aims to take better account of the management of the radon risk in buildings. In order to help members of building trade organisations improve their skills, these organisations have recently developed training courses dealing with methods to prevent and reduce concentration levels and various media to address the needs. The various French-language aids have been listed. To supplement the offering, a guide for professionals and private individuals was published in 2023 by ASN and the Scientific and Technical Centre for Building (CSTB). It provides recommendations concerning prevention in new constructions and remediation in existing buildings. The progress made in understanding the effectiveness of construction standards in reducing radon concentrations in indoor air shall be consolidated. A system of specific indicators, chosen according to their relevance and the data available for monitoring them, has been put in place. Monitoring how these indicators evolve over several years will enable the effectiveness of the national strategy deployed under the national action to be determined. The first assessment of the indicators was published in September 2024 (see Highlight No. 5). An update will be published in 2026. 4.3 Doses received by patients In France, exposure for medical purposes represents the greatest part of the artificial exposures of the public to ionising radiation. Every five years, ASNR publishes an “ExPRI” report on the exposure of the French population to ionising radiation from medical diagnostic procedures. It analyses this exposure by imaging modality (conventional radiology, dental, scanner and nuclear medicine), by anatomical area explored, by age and by patient gender. (see Highlight No. 6). 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2021-2022 2020-2021 2019-2020 2018-2019 2017-2018 2016-2017 Results ≤ 300 Bq/m3 Results > 300 et < 1,000 Bq/m3 Results ≥ 1,000 Bq/m3 72 23 6 68 26 5 83 15 3 80 17 2 85 13 2 81 16 3 83 15 80 17 2 3 73 22 5 Source : IRSN, 2021. GRAPH 8 Trend in the distribution of initial and ten-yearly measurements per results bracket since 2016 % 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100% Results ≤ 300 Bq/m3 Results > 300 et < 1,000 Bq/m3 Results ≥ 1,000 Bq/m3 55 29 16 52 34 13 47 47 6 53 37 10 36 57 7 47 48 5 43 56 50 41 8 1 55 33 13 2022-2023 2023-2024 2024-2025 2021-2022 2020-2021 2019-2020 2018-2019 2017-2018 2016-2017 Source : IRSN, 2021. GRAPH 9 Trend in the distribution of measurements after corrective actions and works per results bracket since 2016 ASNR Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2025 159 01 02 03 05 09 06 10 07 11 13 04 08 12 A / Z
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