ASN Report 2017

327 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 11  - Transport of radioactive substances regulations concerning the transport of dangerous goods by rail, road or inland waterway. ASN is also consulted by the Ministry for Ecological and Solidarity-based Transition when a modification of the three Orders mentioned above can have an impact on the transports of radioactive substances. In 2017, ASN issued an opinion on two draft orders modifying the Order of 23rd November 1987. The regulatory framework for the protection of radioactive substances against malicious acts, excluding nuclear materials which are dealt with separately, will be totally revised in 2018. ASN will ensure that appropriate attention is given to transport operations, during which the substances are particularly vulnerable. 4.4 Contributing to public information Ordinance 2012-6 of 5th January 2012, modifying Books I and V of the Environment Code, extends the public information obligations to the persons responsible for nuclear activities. It is Article L. 125-10 of the Environment Code that sets the threshold beyond which the person responsible for transport must communicate the information requested by a citizen. The thresholds are defined as being those “above which, in application of the international conventions and regulations governing the transport of dangerous goods, of the Code of Transport and of the texts taken for their application, the transport of radioactive substances is subject to the delivery – by ASN or by a foreign Authority competent in the field of radioactive substance transport - of an approval of the transport package design or a shipment approval, including under special arrangement”. Any citizen can therefore now ask the persons in charge of transport for information on the risks presented by the transport operations referred to in the Decree. For several years now, ASN has developed the information made available to the public concerning the regulation of the safety of transport of radioactive substances. After devoting an issue of Contrôle magazine to this topic in 2012, ASN published an analysis of radioactive substances traffic volumes in France on its website. An information sheet on the transport of radioactive substances, intended for the general public, was drawn up in 2014 and is available on www.asn.fr (information sheet No. 8). This sheet answers questions frequently asked by the public, notably concerning the risks inherent in these transport operations, the organisation of the response to an emergency by the public authorities or the routes followed for these transport operations. In 2017, ASN entirely revised the educational file dealing with the transport of radioactive substances. This file can be consulted on www.asn.fr. 4.5 Participation in international relations in the transport sector International regulations are drafted and implemented as a result of fruitful exchanges between countries. ASN includes these exchanges as part of a process of continuous progress in the level of safety of radioactive substance transports, and encourages exchanges with its counterparts in other States. 4.5.1 Work of the European Association of Competent Authorities on transport The European Association of Competent Authorities on the Transport of Radioactive Material (EACA) was created in December 2008. Its purpose is to promote the harmonisation of practices in the regulation of the safety of transport of radioactive substances, and to encourage exchanges and experience feedback between the various Authorities. 4.5.2 Bilateral relations with ASN’s foreign counterparts ASN devotes considerable efforts to maintaining close ties with the competent authorities of the countries concerned by the numerous shipments to and fromFrance. Prominent among these are Germany, Belgium, the United Kingdom and Switzerland. Germany In 2016, the French and German Authorities decided to meet regularly to discuss a range of technical subjects. ASN also participates in two Franco-German technical committees concerning the programme for returning German spent nuclear fuel reprocessing waste. A new package is currently being designed in Germany for the transport of compacted waste. The German safety regulator thus informs ASN of the progress being made in the technical review of the approval application. Once issued, the approval certificate will have to be validated by ASN so that the package model can be used in France. Belgium For its production of electricity from nuclear power, Belgium more particularly uses French-designed containers for fuel cycle shipment. In order to harmonise practices and achieve progress in the safety of these shipments, ASN and the competent Belgian Authority (Belgian Federal Nuclear Regulating Agency - AFCN) regularly exchange know-how and experience. Since 2005, an annual exchange meeting has been held by ASN and AFCN in order to work more closely on reviewing the safety files for the approved French package models validated in Belgium and to discuss inspection practices in each country. In 2017, the Belgian and French Authorities carried out two joint inspections, one on a package model not requiring Belgian approval and used in France and the other on the manufacture of packagings intended for transports between France and Belgium. United Kingdom ASN and the British regulator (Office for Nuclear Regulation – ONR) share many subjects of interest, notably with regard to validation of English approvals by ASN and vice-versa . Bilateral contacts are held regularly to ensure a good level of communication between the two Authorities. Switzerland ASN began bilateral exchanges with the Swiss Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate (IFSN) in 2012. ASN and IFSN have decided to meet annually in order to discuss the packaging model safety files and the checks on the requirements associated with the correct utilization of these transport packages. A joint ASN-IFSN