ASN Report 2018

In addition, every year, each site sends ASN a summary report on its production of waste and the corresponding disposal routes, a comparison with the results of previous years, a summary of the site organisation and the differences observed with respect to the management procedures specified in the waste management study, the list of significant events which have occurred and the outlook for the future. ASN’s oversight of the management of the waste produced by EDF’s NPPs is based on the data taken from the annual reports transmitted by the licensee to ASN, the waste management studies and its findings made during the course of its inspections. 2.5.2  –  The prevention of health impacts and soil pollution • Prevention of pollution resulting from accidental spillage of dangerous substances As on numerous industrial sites, the operation of an NPP involves the handling and storage of “dangerous” chemical substances. The management of these substances and the prevention of pollution, which are the responsibility of the licensee, are regulated by ASN resolution 2013-DC-0360 of 16 July 2013 and the Order of 7 February 2012 and must also comply with the requirements of the European texts. The licensee has obligations regarding the operational management of these substances and the identification of the corresponding potential hazards. It must also be able to take the necessary steps in the event of any incident or accident situations that could give rise to pollution. The licensee must thus for instance precisely identify the location of each dangerous substance on its site, along with the relevant quantities. Drums and tanks must be labelled in compliance with the European CLP (Classification, Labelling, Packaging) regulation and there must be retention areas designed to collect any spills. The NPPs must also adopt an organisation and resources to prevent pollution of the natural environment (groundwater, river, soil). For several years and at the request of ASN, EDF has been carrying out measures to improve its control of the pollution risk by working to improve the containment of dangerous liquid substances on its sites (see box p. 297). Through its field inspections, ASN is closely monitoring the organisational and material provisions adopted by EDF to manage the dangerous substances present in its facilities and to deal with any pollution. • Prevention of the health impacts caused by the growth of legionella and amoeba in certain cooling systems of the NPP secondary systems Some cooling systems in NPPs are environments that are favourable to the development of legionella and other amoebas (see point 1.4). ASN resolution 2016-DC-0578 of 6 December 2016 on the prevention of risks resulting from the dispersal of pathogenic micro-organisms (legionella and amoeba) by PWR secondary system cooling facilities sets requirements concerning: ∙ ∙ the design, upkeep and monitoring of the facility; ∙ ∙ the maximum legionella concentrations in the water in the facility and downstream of it with regard to amoeba; ∙ ∙ the steps to be taken in the event of proliferation of micro­ organisms in the systems or identified infection in the vicinity of the facility; ∙ ∙ information of the public and the administrations in the event of proliferation of micro-organisms. Through its investigations and its field checks, ASN closely monitors the preventive or remedial measures taken by EDF to reduce the risk of the proliferation of these micro-organisms and the results of these actions, including the chemical discharges resulting from biocidal treatment. As there can be a different number of reactors on each site, the results are given “per pair of reactors”, to enable a comparison to be made from one site to another. This for example entails: ∙ ∙ keeping the results as-are for the Golfech site, which has two reactors; ∙ ∙ dividing by two those of Chinon, which has four reactors (Chinon/2); ∙ ∙ dividing by three those of Gravelines, which has six reactors (Gravelines/3). In addition, the discharge data transmitted by EDF to ASN for each site are not representative of the operating time of the installations or of the activities performed on the sites. 2.5.3  –  Evaluation of control of detrimental effects and impact on the environment • Evaluation of prevention of detrimental effects, control of environmental discharges and waste management In 2018, in the same way as every year, ASN carried out inspections on the control of detrimental effects and the environmental impact of NPPs, mainly concerning the prevention of pollution and detrimental effects, control of environmental discharges and waste management. The Civaux, Golfech and Le Blayais NPPs thus underwent a tightened inspection. EDF’s organisation for controlling the detrimental effects and impact of NPPs on the environment needs to be improved on most sites and ASN considers that the licensee needs to raise its level of vigilance on these topics. Despite the action plan implemented by EDF to limit the incidents of liquid spillage which could flow into the environment, events leading to such spills were still considered by ASN to be too numerous in 2018. Although these situations had no significant impact on the environment, they highlight the need for the licensee to step up its efforts on this point. Exercises simulating a spillage, carried out during the tightened inspections, also led ASN to ask the three sites concerned to take steps rapidly to improve pollution prevention. From 23 January to 7 February 2019, ASN notably gave the public Monitoring the environment of the Golfech NPP 298  ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018 10 – EDF NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS