ASN Report 2017

161 ASN report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2017 Chapter 05  - Radiological emergency and post-accident situations 1.4.2 The provision of iodine tablets Administering stable iodine tablets is a means of saturating the thyroid gland and protecting against the carcinogenic effects of radioactive iodines. The Circular of 27th May 2009 defines the principles governing the respective responsibilities of a BNI licensee and of the State with regard to the distribution of iodine tablets. The licensee is responsible for the safety of its facilities. This Circular requires that the licensee finance the public information campaigns within the perimeter of the PPI and carry out permanent preventive distribution of the stable iodine tablets, free of charge, through the network of pharmacies. In 2017, the national campaign, supervised by ASN, for the distribution of iodine tablets to the populations situated in the zone covered by the PPIs around the NPPs operated by EDF, was completed by postal dispatch to persons who did not collect their tablets from the specified distribution points. Distribution was also carried out in 2017 around the sites of the Laue-Langevin Institute (ILL) in Grenoble and the CEA research centre in Saclay (see chapter  6). Outside the zone covered by a PPI, tablets are stockpiled to cover the rest of the country. In this respect, the Ministries for Health and for the Interior decided to create stocks of iodine tablets, positioned and managed by Santé Publique France (more particularly including the Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Organisation). Each Prefect organises the procedures for distribution to the population in their département , relying in particular on the mayors for this. This arrangement is described in a Circular of 11th July 2011 concerning the storage and distribution of potassium iodide tablets outside the zones covered by a PPI. Pursuant to this Circular, the Prefects have drawn up plans to distribute stable iodine tablets in a radiological emergency situation, which can be included in exercises being held for the local implementation of the major nuclear or radiological accident national response plan. 1.4.3 Care and treatment of exposed persons In the event of a radiological emergency situation, a significant number of people could be contaminated by radionuclides. These persons shall be cared for by the emergency response teams duly trained and equipped for this type of operation. Circular 800/SGDSN/PSE/PPS of 18th February 2011 specifies the national doctrine concerning the use of emergency and care resources in the event of a terrorist act involving radioactive substances. These provisions, which also apply to a nuclear or radiological accident, aim to implement a unified nationwide methodology for the use of resources, in order to optimise efficiency. The Medical intervention following a nuclear or radiological event Guide, the drafting of which was coordinated by ASN and which was published in 2008, accompanies Circular DHOS/ HFD/DGSNR No. 2002/277 of 2nd May 2002 concerning the organisation of medical care in the event of a nuclear or radiological accident, giving all the information of use for the medical response teams in charge of collecting and transporting the injured, as well as for the hospital staff. Under the supervision of the SGDSN, a new version of this guide taking account of changes to certain practices is currently under preparation. 1.5 Understanding the long-term consequences The post-accident phase concerns the handling over a period of time of the consequences of long-term contamination of the environment by radioactive substances following a nuclear accident. It covers the handling of consequences that are varied (economic, health, environmental and social), by their nature complex and that need to be dealt with in the short, medium or even long term, with a view to returning to a situation considered to be acceptable. The conditions for reimbursement for the damage resulting from a nuclear accident are currently covered by Act 68-943 of 30th October 1968, amended, concerning civil liability in the field of nuclear energy. France has also ratified the protocols signed on 12th February 2004, reinforcing the Paris Convention of 29th July 1960 and the Brussels Convention of 31st January 1963 concerning civil liability in the field of nuclear energy. These protocols and the measures necessary for their implementation are codified in the Environment Code (Section I of Chapter VII of Title IX of Book V). These provisions and the new liability thresholds set by the two protocols entered into force in February  2016, pursuant to Act 2015-992 of 17th August 2015 on Energy Transition for Green Growth (TECV Act). An Order of 19th August 2016 sets the list of sites with more limited risks which benefit from a reduced liability amount. In order to determine the aspects of doctrine corresponding to the implementation of the provisions necessary for responding to post-accident situations following a nuclear accident, ASN in June 2005 created the Codirpa nuclear accident or radiological emergency steering committee and since then it has acted as its Chair and technical secretary. The ASN mandate was renewed in a letter from the Prime Minister dated 30th October 2014. Numerous elements of the doctrine drawn up by the Codirpa were incorporated into the major nuclear or radiological accident national response plan, sent out in January 2014, such as post-accident zoning (see point 1.4.1). The Codirpa is currently continuing with work to take account of the lessons learned from the post-accident management carried out in Japan following the Fukushima Daiichi disaster, but also experience feedback from emergency exercises. A new working group was set up in 2015 on waste management in a post-accident situation, involving members from Codirpa and from the French National Radioactive Material and Waste Management Plan (PNGMDR). Finally, work on the management of manufactured products, water and marine environments was started in 2017, along with initial consideration of a revision of the doctrine.