RADON RISK: ASN PRIORITIES Responsibility for the national strategy for managing the radon risk, and the regulations that depend on this, is shared between the Ministries responsible for risk prevention, health, labour and construction, assisted by ASN. ASN redefined its directions and priorities regarding management of the radon risk in 2021, which are now deployed along eight lines. 1. Continuation of the facilitation and coordination of the national radon action plan and assessment of the management policy for the radon risk The French national radon action plan has been structuring the public policies regarding management of the radon risk since 2005. Its preparation and monitoring are co-managed by ASN, which also ensures the technical secretariat for the monitoring committee. ASN is also tasked with the co-management of several actions in the 2020‑2024 plan. ASN will consolidate its facilitation and coordination role at both national and regional level. ASN will moreover participate in the work to assess the effectiveness of the radon risk management policy. 2. Support for the enhancement of scientific knowledge and involvement in international work The assessment of the risks associated with exposure to radon has been the subject of recent publications allowing updating of the knowledge based on the available epidemiological and scientific studies and the dosimetric approach developed by the ICRP. At national level, the quantitative assessment of the health effect of radon in France was updated in 2018. Nevertheless, subjects remain to be investigated (risk of pathologies other than lung cancer for example). ASN will participate in the international work on these subjects, particularly through the work of the Heads of the European Radiological Protection Competent Authorities (HERCA). 3. Development of a communication strategy The radon risk and the corresponding regulations are still poorly known to the general public(*). Informing the various audiences of this risk and the associated means of prevention, as well as the applicable regulations, constitutes a major challenge for the success of the public policies for managing the radon risk. It constitutes the leading priority of the national radon action plan 2020‑2024. ASN will examine any experimental and innovative initiative that fosters the development of a culture of prevention. 4. Assessment of the system for approving organisations performing radon activity measurements At present, ASN issues the approvals for organisations tasked with measuring radon activity. A change in this system will be studied in consultation with the DGS, with the more specific aim of switching from a system of approval by ASN to a system of accreditation by the Cofrac for organisations taking measurements in PABs. 5. Completion of the regulatory system ASN will complete the updating of the resolutions relative to the approved organisations (conditions of approval and operator training) and the resolution relative to the data centralisation information system (abandoning of the SISE-ERP(**) application in favour of the “simplified procedures” system). 6. Support for radon risk reduction actions at the construction stage Current building construction standards make no particular provisions concerning consideration of the radon risk and no conclusions can be drawn at present from the studies on the effectiveness of these standards with respect to this risk. ASN will encourage any action that aims firstly to better assess the effectiveness of the standards in effect in the building sector with respect to the radon risk, and secondly to reduce the risk at source through, for example, obligations at the construction stage. 7. Continuation of the graded approach to oversight For PABs, the oversight will target the property managers in priority. Point inspections shall be conducted in situations where set deadlines have been greatly exceeded and the owners have clearly taken no action. Where workplaces are concerned, for which the regulations have greatly evolved, ASN will also conduct targeted inspections of buildings with radiation exposure risks, where the radon concentrations can be high. 8. Development of a national framework for emergency situation management In the last few years, situations where the reference radon level of 300 Bq/m3 has been greatly exceeded in PABs, workplaces and private homes have been reported to ASN. Experience feedback reveals the need for nationwide coordination, as is already the case for radon of anthropogenic origin. ASN will reflect on ways of defining national coordination procedures for these situations. ASN will moreover support the creation of specific funds to finance emergency actions in the most critical cases. (*) IRSN barometer 2019: How the French perceive risks and safety. (**) Health environment information system concerning PABs. ASN Report on the state of nuclear safety and radiation protection in France in 2021 113 01 – NUCLEAR ACTIVITIES: IONISING RADIATION AND HEALTH AND ENVIRONMENTAL RISKS 08 07 13 04 10 06 12 14 03 09 05 11 02 01 AP
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