Les cahiers de l'ASN #06 - Radioactive Waste - How to implement lasting solutions to protect human health and the environment?

Nuclear power is a major source of energy in a large number of countries. In France, it accounts for more than 70% of all the electricity produced. Although nuclear production of electricity emits very little in terms of greenhouse gases, it does have other environmental implications, such as radioactive waste.

Some waste from the reprocessing of spent fuels from the nuclear power plants remains a danger for hundreds of thousands of years.
The French population is well aware of this issue and their primary concern is radioactive waste management, ahead of the risk of an accident. A vast majority of them wishes to see waste management solutions identified and implemented, without placing this burden on future generations.

Although there is still no operational management solution for certain waste, France does have a consistent overall framework for the management of all the waste, regardless of producer or type, providing a long-term guarantee of its safe management, with ring-fencing of the necessary financing.
It is the role of ASN to oversee the correct management of radioactive waste, in order to protect human health and the environment.