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Generally speaking, ASN policy regarding environmental protection tends towards that applied to conventional industrial activities. Thus numerous rules concerning discharges or control of their impacts are comparable to those used in the nonnuclear industries.

Finally, ASN ensures that the available information concerning the environment is accessible and shared. The creation of the national environmental radioactivity measurement network and of a common database containing all the radioactivity measurements taken by the approved laboratories will make a significant contribution to providing the public with reliable, centralised information.

Nuclear safety, radiation protection and environmental concerns all share the same goal of protecting workers, patients, the public and the environment against the risks linked to nuclear activities.

In the field of environmental protection, the Nuclear Transparency and Security Act 2006-686 of 13 June 2006 (TSN Act) clarifies ASN’s areas of competence:

• with regard to environmental monitoring, ASN organises a permanent radiation protection watch nationwide;
• with regard to regulation, it issues opinions on draft regulations concerning basic nuclear installations (BNI) and takes technical decisions concerning implementation of the regulations;
• with regard to licensing, it defines the provisions applicable to the installations. The decisions defining BNI discharge limits must be approved by the ministers.

This legislative change reinforces the importance attached to considerations of safety, radiation protection and the environment. ASN therefore tackles them in a global manner, using the same tools and the same requirements of stringency, competence, transparency and independence.

With regard to the environment, ASN actions are primarily focused on three areas:

• limiting the dispersion of radioactive or chemical materials resulting from nuclear activities. This involves strict control of effluents discharges and waste management.
• preventing and limiting the detrimental effects and risks, resulting from BNI operation, for public health and safety or for the protection of nature and the environment.
• monitoring radioactivity in the environment, in particular to allow an assessment of the impact of the installations on public health and the environment.