LES ACTIVITÉS NUCLÉAIRES : RAYONNEMENTS IONISANTS ET RISQUES POUR LA SANTÉ ET L’ENVIRONNEMENT This chapter presents the role and actions of the French Authority for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (ASNR), in the management of radioactive waste and the management of sites and soils contaminated by radioactive substances. It describes in particular the actions taken to define and set the broad guidelines for radioactive waste management. According to the Environment Code, radioactive wastes are radioactive substances for which no subsequent use is planned or envisaged or which have been reclassified as such by the Minister responsible for energy. The waste comes from activities involving artificial or natural radioactive substances (nuclear installations, the medical or research sectors, contaminated sites and soils, etc.). ASNR has competence for the management of contaminated sites and soils linked to the Basic Nuclear Installations (BNIs). For the other radiological contamination situations, ASNR may, at the request of the competent authorities, issue an opinion regarding their management procedures. ASNR notably ensures that the waste resulting from contaminated site clean-up operations is directed to appropriate management routes. In March 2024, ASN (which became ASNR on 1 January 2025 following a merger with IRSN) called upon the Advisory Committee of Experts for Waste (GPD) to conduct an expert assessment, assisted by members of the Advisory Committees of Experts for Laboratories and Plants (GPU) and for Radiation Protection of Workers, the Public, Patients and the Environment (GPRP), of the application file for authorisation to create “Cigéo”, the reversible deep geological disposal facility for high-level long-lived waste (HLW-LL) and intermediatelevel long-lived waste (ILW-LL). This file, submitted on 16 January 2023 by the French National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (Andra), was assessed along three thematic lines: the basic data adopted for the Cigéo safety assessment, the safety of the surface and underground installations during the operational phase, and the long-term safety after closure. On 25 November 2025, following the technical review of this file, ASNR issued its opinion under Article L. 542-10-1 of the Environment Code. 1 – Radioactive waste Pursuant to the provisions of the Environment Code, the producers of spent fuel and radioactive waste are responsible for these substances, without prejudice to the liability of those who hold these substances in their role as persons or entities responsible for nuclear activities. Radioactive waste must be managed in accordance with specific procedures. Waste producers must pursue the objective of minimising the volume and harmfulness of their waste, both before production by appropriate design and operation of the facilities, and after production by appropriate sorting, treatment and packaging. The types of radioactive waste differ widely in their radioactivity (specific activity, nature of the radiation, half-life) and their form (scrap metal, rubble, oils, etc.). Two main parameters can be used for assessing the radiological risk that the radioactive waste represents: firstly, the activity, which contributes to the toxicity of the waste, and secondly, the half-life of the radionuclides present in the waste, which determines the required waste containment time. A distinction is therefore made between very low, low, intermediate and high-level waste on the one hand and, on the other hand, very short-lived waste (whose activity level is halved in less than 100 days) resulting mainly from medical activities, short-lived waste (chiefly containing radionuclides whose activity level is halved in less than 31 years) and long-lived waste (which contains a large quantity of radionuclides whose activity level is halved in more than 31 years). Each type of waste requires the implementation of an appropriate and safe management solution in order to control the risks it represents, particularly the radiological risk but also risks linked to its chemical composition. 1.1 Management of radioactive waste (with the exception of mining tailings and waste rock) Defined in Article L. 542‑1‑1 of the Environment Code, the management of radioactive waste comprises all the activities associated with the handling, preliminary treatment, treatment, packaging, storage and disposal of radioactive waste, excluding off-site transportation. ASNR oversees the activities associated with the management of radioactive waste from BNIs or small-scale nuclear activities, other than those linked to national defence which are overseen by the Defence Nuclear Safety Authority (ASND) and those relative to Installations Classified for Protection of the Environment (ICPEs), which are placed under the oversight of the Prefects. 358 ASNR Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2025
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