The impact of conventional and nuclear industries on the population

European Commission Directorate-General For The Information Society And Media Directorate-General For Research And Innovation

Description

A comparative study of the radioactive and chemical aspects
Nuclear energy and safety
Industry, trade and services

Informations

• Publié par: EUROPEAN-COMMISSION-DIRECTORATE-GENERAL-FOR-THE-INFORMATION-SOCIETY-AND-MEDIA-DI
• Nombre de lectures: 8
• Langue: English
• Poids de l'ouvrage: 6 Mo

Extrait

EUR 10554
* *
Commission of the European Communities
radiation protection
The impact of conventional and nuclear industries
on the population:
A comparative study of the radioactive
and chemical aspects -S
Commission of the European Communities
The impact of conventional and nuclear industries
on the population:
A comparative study of the radioactive
and chemical aspects
R. Coulon, J. Aigueperse, F. Anguenot
Centre de Développement des Etudes
et Applications en Hygiène et Sécurité
CEDHYS
F—Fontenay-aux-Roses
Contract BIO.F.320.81.F
PARL -th.
Directorate-General
Science, Research and Development
.'.c
1988 CL VEUR 10557 EN -tf Published by the
COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES
Directorate-General
Telecommunications, Information Industries and Innovation
Bâtiment Jean Monnet
LUXEMBOURG
LEGAL NOTICE
Neither the Commission of the European Communities nor any person acting on
behalf of then is responsible for the use which might be made of the
following information
Cataloguing data can be found at the end of this publication
Luxembourg: Office for Official Publications of the European Communities, 1988
ISBN 92-825-8378-3 Catalogue number: CD-NP-86-004-EN-C
© ECSC-EEC-EAEC, Brussels · Luxembourg, 1988
Printed in Belgium This study was supported by a contract between the Commission of the
European Communities ( DG XII. Radiation Protection Research Programme) and
the Centre for the Development of Health and Safety studies and their
Applications (C. E. D. H. Y. S. ) : it had been running at the Institute of Nuclear
Protection and Safety (I. P. S.N.) within the French Energy Atomic Commission
(C. E. A. ) .
The extended work conducted in this programme required multidisciplinary
approach including the various following teams:
- General Protection Study Service ( IPSN/DPS/SEGP) .
- Environmental Study and Research Service ( IPSN/DERS/SERE) .
- Industrial Hygien Service ( IPSN/DPS/SHI) .
Collection of data was performed in connection with relevant industrial and
official administrations by means of extended requests.
Despite the fact that some informations have to be restricted apart public
acquaintance, industrial authorities accepted to collaborate to Greater Rhone
Delta Programme.
Guidelines on industrial hazards and technical countermeasures originated from
discussions with safety and medical teams and visits of plants.
Accordingly, we acknowledge Head Directorates. Management and Safety and
Medical Services of the factories with special attention to:
CdF Meyreull coal mines and Gardanne power plant.
CEA Cadarache. Grenoble. Valrho centers.
CFM Langogne mines and concentration factory
COGEMA Hérault mines Division
Marcoule factory
Pierrelattey COMURHEX Malvési factory
Pierrelatte factory
EDF Aramon power plant
Loire-sur-Rhone power plant
Martigues Ponteau power plant
Eurodif Pierrelate factory
FBFC Romans-sur-Isère factory
SICN Annecy factory
Veureyy
We also acknowledge MM. A.Cohen. G.F.Clemente. W.Jacobi. H. Jammet
(Scientific Committee). MM. G. C. Pinehera. M. Matthies. J. Van Caennacghen
and the overall radiation protection research programme team, specially
M. J.Sinnaeve. for their constructive and pertinent advices and remarks which
contributed to improve the present work.
IV -SUMMARY - 1
SUMMARY
ν -SUMMARY - 2
SUMMARY
The Greater Rhone Delta Programme has been running at the Institute of
Nuclear Protection and Safety (IPSN) since 1980. The aim is to assess the
various types of pollution (chemical, radiological or other) from different
sources (industrial, agricultural, households, natural and others) affecting the
population of a region in order to put them into perspective and. for the most
important, to ensure proper management. A regional approach combined with a
case study was chosen as the best method of producing practical answers to
the problem.
The region selected covers approximately the south-east segment of France. It
comprises three administrative regions and is crossed from south to north by
the Rhone. The region covers one fifth of the national territory and one fifth of
the population, ten million people. The principal activities in the country are
represented.
In the first phase of the programme, with support from the Furopean
Communities, a methodology was developed to follow each of the energy cycles
used in the region (coal, oil and uranium) from extraction (except oil) to fuel
processing and manufacture to treatment of the waste.
The study is confined to the pollution and nuisances affecting the inhabitants of
the region generated by the activities pursued in the region itself. The year
1982 was taken as the reference year for assessing the nuisances arising in
one year of normal operation of installations in the three energy cycles. The
study also covers, though in less detail, the case of other sources of nuisance
such as certain medical activities (radiological diagnosis), exposure to natural
radiation and the use of fertilizers and pesticides in agriculture.
VII · SUMMARY
The principal chapter headings are as follows.
1. DESCRIPTION OF THE REGION.
The natural environment is studied on the basis of descriptive and statistical
data covering various aspects: geography, geology, hydrology and climate.
The place of human activity in tne environment is men described: population
distribution, water utilization, tne production and consumption of foodstuffs,
industry and communications.
2. EMISSIONS AND EXPOSURE SOURCES.
The main sources of emissions and exposure in the region are pinpointed and
described. A picture of the industrial structure of the region is obtained by
classing industrial plants by sector and size. Agricultural activities are
approached through the use of fertilizers and pesticides (type and quantity).
Natural background exposure was measured inside and outside dwellings in most
of the region's departments Medical treatments were the subject of a study on
exposure in the course of radiological examinations. Finally, all electricity
generating plant is described in quality and quantity terms.
3. EMISSIONS.
Io investigate the quantities ot pollutants emitted by industrial installations,
three methods were used:
(i) Data search in the general literature: this can only be of subsidiary value as
the values found may not be representative for the installation studied.
(ii) Obtaining data from plant managers or ministerial departments. This
approach is the most straightforward, but it has the disadvantages of certain
values being unobtainable or problems of confidentiality. It was used for
discharges from nuclear fuel cycle installations.
VIII -