The French Mess Nucleaire
Nuclear weapons production has contaminated parts of France, and measures to counter this contamination may be as much cover-up as cleanup. The nuclear weapons industry is trying to remedy some of the problems it created. But until France lifts military secrecy from weapons production matters that affect the environment, the public has no way to gauge the cleanup. No institution outside the Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) and the Ministry of Defense has control over waste disposal, decontamination, and dismantlement at military nuclear sites. The major generators of weapons production waste in France are the CEA and Cogema, one of its many subsidiaries. Regular operations in military production sites produce environmental contamination. The authors also discuss some accidents causing further contamination. The clean-up measures that the industry is known to be taking, diluting the waste and minimizing the amount of waste, are suspect. The earth`s atmosphere has been considered a prime medium for diluting waste by open air burning of radioactive materials. Releases of mercury to the atmosphere, 260 kilograms per year as of 1984, contributed to water pollution as rain washed the mercury out of the air. Ocean dumping was the CEA`s answer to disposal of sold as well as liquid wastes. Injection liquids into the soil has been a temptation at sites not near substantial bodies of water. Burial of solid wastes has been common. The nuclear industry and the military must make public where and in what form wastes are stored. They must allow independent experts and institutions to examine their research, fabrication, and waste disposal sites. 48 refs.
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- OSTI ID:
- 44937
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists, Vol. 50, Issue 4; Other Information: PBD: Jul-Aug 1994
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Status of the French Research on Partitioning and Transmutation
French Innovative Thermal Treatment Processes for The Management Radioactive Organic Liquid Waste - 19017