International review on radioactive waste management in France draws positive conclusions
On January 15-24, the ARTEMIS international review team, under the aegis of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), examined France's radioactive waste management organisation, concluding that it is of a high standard. As the agency in charge of radioactive waste management in France, Andra was involved in the discussions.
The international experts identified a number of exemplary practices, in particular France's approach to developing and implementing the French National Radioactive Materials and Waste Management Plan, as well as Andra's work on the National Waste Inventory. It emphasised that Andra provided the national plan with a comprehensive overview of waste in France and acknowledged the value of developing and publishing such an inventory. In a press release issued by the French Ministry for Ecological and Inclusive Transition and ASN, the French Nuclear Safety Authority, Sebastien Lecornu, Secretary of State to the Minister for Ecological Transition, stated, “The conclusions drawn by the IAEA’s experts who carried out the ARTEMIS review confirm that the nuclear waste management system in France is internationally recognised.”
After Poland, France is the second country reviewed by the ARTEMIS team. This meets the requirements set out in European Directive 2011/70/Euratom of 19 July 2011 (known as the “Waste” directive), which recommends holding periodic independent reviews in order to benefit from an outside viewpoint on national policy on spent fuel and radioactive waste management.