LES ACTIVITÉS NUCLÉAIRES : RAYONNEMENTS IONISANTS ET RISQUES POUR LA SANTÉ ET L’ENVIRONNEMENT In the first case, the operator made occasional use of a particle accelerator to carry out repairs to the device, without this activity being duly licensed by ASNR. The second ESR took place in the summer of 2025, in a facility that analyses works of art, and led to the accidental irradiation of a worker, causing early deterministic effects (classified at level 3 on the INES scale, which has 7 levels) and exceeding the regulatory limits set by the Labour Code. Analysis of the causes of this incident has enabled ASNR to define the levers to be implemented from 2026 to prevent similar incidents in the future by improving the level of radiation protection in all facilities with particle accelerators and particularly in those with similar characteristics to the facility in which this event took place (see Highlight No. 9). Furthermore, recurrent events linked to the use of particle accelerators during customs cargo checks were reported to ASNR, as happens each year. When conducting these checks, the customs services take precautions (such as broadcasting information messages in several languages) to avoid the unjustified irradiation of people who could be hiding in these vehicles (see point 3.3.1). However, despite these precautions, the customs services regularly notify ASNR of events relating to the exposure of people hidden in checked vehicles. Although this exposure is unjustified, it nevertheless remains extremely low with effective doses of just a few microsieverts per person. 3.4 Research activities involving unsealed radioactive sources 3.4.1 – The devices used In the research sector, as at 31 December 2025, ASNR counted 299 licences and 195 registrations issued under the Public Health Code, of which nearly 90% are issued to public or mixed (public/ private) entities. The number of licences is constantly decreasing, 6. Among these inspections, 15 exclusively concerned the use of sealed radioactive sources or electrical devices emitting ionising radiation. essentially due to the replacement of ionising radiation sources by alternative technologies that do not use ionising properties, but also to the changes in the system introduced in the last few years. Since 2019, certain nuclear activities have switched from the licensing system to the notification system and, since July 2021, other activities are now subject to the registration system (see point 2.4.2). This new system addresses in particular the possession/use of unsealed source which until then were governed solely by the licensing system. The complete transitions of research laboratories from the licensing system to the registration system will continue until mid2026, particularly for the laboratories that reduce the quantities of radionuclides handled. These facilities and laboratories use mainly unsealed sources for medical and biomedical research, molecular biology, the agrifood business, the sciences of matter and materials, etc. They can also be suppliers of unsealed sources. They also use sealed sources for performing gas-phase chromatography, liquid scintillation counting or in irradiators. Electrical devices emitting ionising radiation are also used for X-ray fluorescence or X-ray diffraction spectrum analysis. Particle accelerators are used in research into matter or for the production of radionuclides. 3.4.2 – Evaluation of the radiation protection situation In 2025, ASNR carried out 59 inspections in this sector(6). Broadly speaking, the actions undertaken over the last few years have brought improvements in the implementation of radiation protection within research laboratories. However, this trend is slowing down, with recurrent non-conformities persisting from one year to the next, as is the case with waste management for example and the organisation and application of the programme for checking equipment, workplaces and radiation protection instrumentation. Even if the standard of radiation protection in the research laboratories remains broadly satisfactory, it remains dependent on the involvement 0 5 10 15 20 25 30 35 40 Neutron analysis Logging Surface treatment (including polymer cross-linking) Other Measuring instrument calibration Veterinary radiotherapy Ion implantation Sterilisation Design of accelerators with a view to selling them Security inspection Non-destructive inspection Scientific research 1 2 2 2 3 3 3 4 6 6 12 36 GRAPH 10 Breakdown of particle accelerators by end-purpose in 2025 ASNR Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2025 253 01 05 02 06 03 04 09 10 07 11 13 08 12 A / Z
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