ASN Report 2018

The ASN regional divisions accompanying the Prefect’s offices in the management of contaminated sites and soils and of the former uranium mines Former uranium mines In the Nouvelle-Aquitaine region, the Bordeaux division took part in the assessment of the radiation protection results and actions proposed by Orano Mining for the final stoppage of the work on the sites of Henriette (Haute Vienne département ), La Védrenne (Corrèze département ) and Montmassacrot (Haute Vienne département ). ASN is attentive to the proper assessing of the risks of radiological exposure linked to radon, to mining waste rock and ore treatment residues. If the exposure is likely to exceed the regulatory reference levels, ASN makes proposals to preserve of the memory of these sites through soil information sectors or active institutional controls. In Bretagne, Orano Mining carried out an environmental pollution assessment in 2018 to assess the effects of the sludge and radiologically-marked sediments situated downstream of the former mining sites. Soils contaminated by radioactive substances The ASN Dijon division is particularly attentive to land in the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region polluted by residues from the treatment of uranium-bearing ores situated in the municipality of Gueugnon (Saône et Loire département ). ASN participates in the monitoring of the radiological remediation work which Orano Mining began in September 2016 on a first site accommodating a dwelling house. The work carried out so far has remediated two-thirds of the land to a high standard and restored a situation close to the natural radiological state. In 2018, Orano Mining conducted the studies necessary for completion of the remediation work. ASN moreover contributed in August 2018 to the reinforcing of environmental monitoring around the disposal facility situated on the municipality of Gueugnon, which contains waste from a uranium ore treatment plant. The perimeter of this facility has moreover been widened to include contiguous land polluted by ore treatment residues. The reuse of mining waste rock ASN also assists the Dreals which are tasked with assessing Orano Mining’s proposals for remedying the radiological anomalies resulting from the reuse of mining waste rock in the public domain. All the sites in the Bretagne and Pays de Loire regions which necessitated priority work (where the annual effective dose exceeded 0.6 mSv/year) were treated in 2018. In Bretagne, the ASN Nantes division has checked achievement of the remediation targets by taking samples during a joint inspection with the Dreal. In the Pays de Loire region, Orano Mining has also carried out the work requested by the Prefect to reduce the radon of anthropogenic origin in the buildings or dwelling houses concerned. A new radon screening campaign was undertaken during winter 2018/2019 to assess its effectiveness. In the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, the Dijon division issued an opinion on the work envisaged by Orano Mining in the Saône-et-Loire and Nièvre départements . The sites contaminated by radioative substances ASN is called upon by the Dreals to contribute to the identification, securing and monitoring of the decontamination of sites contaminated by radioactive substances of artificial or natural origin. These can be former production sites of radium –or tritium– based luminescent paint for the watchmaking industry, or sites on which radioluminescent devices were used. In the Bourgogne-Franche-Comté region, the ASN Dijon division keeps track of the radiological clean-out of a former watchmaking factory in the Haut-Doubs area which began in 2014. In 2018, it contributed to the drafting of a Prefectural Order authorising the last phases of this work. In July 2018, radioactive watchmaking objects were discovered in a vocational training high school in Morteau (Doubs département ). At the request of the Prefect and with the technical support of IRSN, ASN intervened to conduct the radiological characterisation of the premises and assess the health risks for the exposed persons. IRSN estimated that the doses involved were extremely low and would have no impact on the health of the persons who frequented the premises. The identified radioactive objects were placed in safe keeping pending their removal by Andra. A low level of radiological contamination by tritiumwas detected in a storage room, which has now been decontaminated. Lastly, recommendations were made to the head of the school so that in the future radioactive objects can be detected before they enter the premises, and to heighten pupil and staff awareness of these risks. In the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, the Marseille division of ASN monitors the steps taken on two radium-contaminated sites in Bandol (Var département ) to make them secure and start their decontamination. The Marseille division also monitors the decontamination work which began in 2015  on a storage site situated in Cuers-Pierrefeu (Var département ) containing radioluminescent devices for the aeronautical industry. In June 2018, the site owner put out a request for proposals for the sorting, characterisation and packaging of the radioactive waste with a view to its retrieval by Andra. Other sites have been contaminated as a result of research activities involving the use of radioactive substances. This is the case for example in Occitanie, Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur and Corse. The Marseille division monitors the sites of Oraison (Alpes-de-Haute-Provence département ), Pech Rouge (Aude département ) and San Giuliano (Haute Corse département ) on which experiments on the transfer of radioactivity to plants were carried out by INRA (French National Institute of Agricultural Research). Studies have been requested to assess the consequences of the radiological contamination of these sites, considering different future use scenarios. The Marseille division will examine them and given an opinion on the proposed management options. In the Alpes de Haute-Provence département , the Marseille division in 2018 also monitored the measures taken by Andra to render secure the Ganagobie site, where radioactive waste resulting from the activities of the company Isotopchim is still present. ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2018  373 14 – RADIOACTIVE WASTE AND CONTAMINATED SITES AND SOILS 14