Nuclear fuel cycle facilities, laboratories, irradiators, particle accelerators, under-decommissioning reactors and radioactive waste management facilities safety. Lessons learned from events notified between 2005 and 2008
Publication date : 12/05/2010
France has more than 70 civil basic nuclear installations (BNI) falling under the category "Laboratories, plants, facilities being dismantled, waste processing or interim storage facilities or disposal facilities" (LUDD). To encourage the diffusion of operating feedback, IRSN has produced a report concerning events notified to the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) by operators of LUDD facilities between 2005 and 2008. The main objective is to make general lessons for safety in this type of facility available based on a cross-disciplinary analysis of notified events and noted evolution trends.
Download the information report(PDF File)
Can radon gas measurements be used to predict earthquakes ?
Publication date : 04/06/2009
After the tragic earthquake of April 6th 2009 in Aquila (Abruzzo), a debate has begun in Italy regarding the alleged prediction of this earthquake by a scientist working in the Gran Sasso National Laboratory, based on radon content measurements. Radon is a radioactive gas originating from the decay of natural radioactive elements present in the soil.
IRSN specialists are actively involved in ongoing research projects on the impact of mechanical stresses on radon emissions from underground structures, and some of their results dating from several years ago are being brought up in this debate. These specialists are therefore currently presenting their perspective on the relationships between radon emissions and seismic activity, based on publications on the subject.
Download the information report (PDF File)
IRSN's viewpoint on the safety and radiation protection on French nuclear power plants in 2007Publication date : 16/03/2009
The regular annual dissemination of information about nuclear reactor safety, outside any context of media coverage associated with current events, can help ensure a better understanding by the stakeholders – and more widely by the public – of the real safety issues associated with the operation of nuclear installations, the progress made in terms of safety as well as the identified deficiencies.
The IRSN safety assessment of the French nuclear power plants is based on data transmitted by operators and its own research. It is organized around the following points: first, an overall examination confirms that no event had serious consequences in the fields of either safety or radioprotection in 2007. This good result must however be tempered by the persistence, or even the increase in unanticipated events and operating difficulties, caused essentially by human factors, organizational aspects and certain shortcomings in terms of operating rigour.
Download the report “IRSN's viewpoint on the safety and radiation protection on French nuclear power plants in 2007" (PDF File)
Incidents in transport of radioactive materials for civil use: Analysis 1999-2007
Publication date : 21/10/2008
In its role of technical support of the authorities for safety and protection against radiations, IRSN has a mission of assessment that covers the design, the manufacturing, the testing and the use of packaging and transport system. It also takes part in the emergency response in the event of anomalies, incidents or accidents (known in a generic way as “events”). To assist with this work, IRSN manages a database that lists all events reported for transport.
With the aim of improving transport safety by having changes made to packaging, practices and regulations, IRSN has carried out a transversal analysis of events in transport of radioactive materials for civil use that occurred in France between 1999 and 2007. This report sets out the types of event, the way they have changed over time and general lessons which might be learned from them.
Download the information report “Incidents in transport of radioactive materials for civil use: IRSN draws lessons from events reported between 1999 and 2007” (PDF file)
Risks of explosion associated with "red oils" in reprocessing plants
Publication date : 10/06/2008
As new countries are considering the development of reprocessing plants, the IRSN publishes a technical note regarding the risks of explosion associated with "red oils".
This note presents the risks of explosion associated with reactions between TBP (tributylphosphate), its degradation products and nitrates derived from nitric acid or associated with heavy metals (uranium and plutonium), leading to the formation of unstable compounds known as "red oils". Feedback from explosions associated with the formation of these compounds, occurring in reprocessing plants around the world, is dealt with concisely. The main measures for controlling these risks implemented in the French plants concerned are also presented.
Download the technical note (PDF file)
Critical review: Epidemiological studies of leukaemia in children and young adults around nuclear facilities
Publication date : 22/04/2008
The German Federal Institute for Protection against Ionising Radiation made public a multi-site epidemiological study on 10 December 2007. This study covered 16 nuclear sites in Germany. The study meets the international scientific criteria.It establishes an excessive risk of leukaemia in children under five living within a radius of 5 km around German nuclear power plants.
The IRSN epidemiologist researchers have undertaken a critical review of all international scientific literature on the risk of leukaemia in children living near nuclear facilities.
Download the critical review summary (PDF file)
Long-term behaviour of radioactive nuclides in the environment
Publication date : 1999
Report of recent advances in Europe, regarding the long-term development ofradioactive nuclides in the environment. The corresponding scientific findings from three projects – Peace, Landscape and Epora (involving 18 European laboratories) – have been collected together. These projects were managed by the IPSN for the European Commission (DG XII) in the framework of the programme Sûreté de la fission nucléaire (Nuclear fission safety programme).
Download this book (PDF file)