The Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR) is an independent administrative authority responsible for research and expertise on civil nuclear activities and radiation protection in France, as well as for establishing regulations for the proper functioning of these activities. It is also responsible for monitoring the application of these regulations in the areas affected by these activities.

Role of the ASNR in radioactivity monitoring across the country:

• The ASNR establishes individual requirements for civil nuclear facilities regarding radioactivity monitoring. It sets limit values for effluent discharges and water intake.
• The ASNR checks compliance with these requirements, in particular by reviewing the monitoring logs produced by operators and by conducting inspections. If these requirements are exceeded, enforcement measures may be taken, including the suspension of activity. It assesses the files, reports, and documents submitted by nuclear operators.
• The ASNR reviews the files, reports, and documents submitted by nuclear operators.
• The ASNR conducts regular monitoring around nuclear sites, complementing that implemented by nuclear operators, as well as more general monitoring of the territory.
• The ASNR conducts studies and research on environmental radioactivity.

The Directorate General for Risk Prevention (DGPR) consists of a technological risks department, a department for health risks related to the environment, waste and diffuse pollution, and a department for natural and hydraulic risks. Within the technological risks department, the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Mission (MSNR), in conjunction with the Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection Authority (ASNR), proposes the government's policy on nuclear safety and radiation protection, excluding defense and worker protection activities. It participates in all commissions dealing with radiation protection, including the national network for measuring environmental radioactivity.

The Directorate General on Food Safety (DGAL) is more specifically responsible for ensuring the quality and safety of foodstuffs (both for humans and animals), and for promoting the French food, sanitary and phytosanitary models at international level. The scope of the DGAL focuses on food hygiene, nutrition, animal and plant health, the supervision of quality systems and, more generally, the safety and quality of the agricultural food chain.

The DGAL prepares an annual plan, with the assistance of ASNR, for monitoring potential radionuclide contamination of animal feed and foodstuffs of animal origin and, for primary production (at the farming stage), of vegetable foodstuffs. The sampling is carried out on the whole territory and the radionuclides sought are mainly cesium 134 and 137 and strontium 89 and 90.

The requirements and control of nuclear installations and activities of interest to defense are the responsibility of the Minister responsible for industry, or of the Delegate for Nuclear Safety and Radiation Protection (DSND) of the Ministry of the Armed Forces.

The General Directorate of Health (DGS) ensures that the population is protected in the various uses of water (drinking water, recreational water, domestic hot water, packaged water, wastewater, etc.) and coordinates, among other things, local water quality monitoring networks, managed by the ARS (regional health agencies).

The Regional Health Agencies (ARS) carry out regular controls of the radiological quality of water intended for human consumption, the results of which can be consulted on www.eaupotable.sante.gouv.fr.

Santé Publique France (formerly InVS) is responsible for monitoring the health status of populations. It is a member of the Steering Committee.

EDF's nuclear power plants in France consist in 57 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) in operation, located on 18 sites, also known as Nuclear Power Generation Centers (CNPE).

Every year, over 2000 samples and 3000 measurements of environmental radioactivity are carried out around each NPP within the regulatory framework but also on a voluntary basis by the operator. All these measurements are carried out by laboratories approved by the ASN for environmental radioactivity measurements and all nuclear sites EDF have an environmental management system certified "ISO 14001".

The National Radioactive Waste Management Agency (ANDRA) is responsible for the long-term management of radioactive waste produced in France. ANDRA operates two sites in the Aube region, the Aube Storage Center (CSA) and the Industrial Grouping, Storage and Storage Center (C.I.R.E.S). It is also responsible for the management and supervision of the Channel Storage Center (CSM).

For each of its centers, ANDRA sets up and implements an environmental monitoring program. This program enables to assess the radiological status of the various environmental compartments around the waste sites and to follow their evolution. This program more specifically aims at assessing the impact of the site activities on the environment and population, and to detect any abnormal situation as early as possible.

The ORANO group intervenes throughout the nuclear cycle, from the uranium mine to the recycling of spent fuel, including the design of nuclear reactors and services for their exploitation. 

As this operator is engaged into nuclear activities, several ORANO operation sites must comply with regulations requiring measurements of environmental radioactivity in order to check and monitor their activity impact. These radioactivity measurements are fed monthly into the national network.

Commission of Atomic Energy and Alternative Energy (CEA), a public and scientific, technical, industrial research institution, the CEA is a major player in research, development and innovation. It is involved in four missions:

• defense and security,
• nuclear energy,
• technological research for industry,
• fundamental research in materials and life sciences.

Based on an expertise level recognized nationally and internationally, the CEA participates in the setting up of collaborative projects with many academic and industrial partners.

Located on 10 sites in France, this operator of nuclear facilities runs 6 test laboratories accredited by COFRAC which were among the first to be approved by the ASN for the measurement of environmental radioactivity carried out within the framework of regulatory programs. These laboratories monitor the environment several kilometers around the operating sites, in addition to the control of effluent discharged. This monitoring represents several tens of thousands of radiological and physicochemical analyzes each year.

The Laue Langevin Institute (ILL) of Grenoble is an international research organization equipped with the most intense neutron source in the world, feeding some 40 instruments in constant modernization. Its facilities and personnel are made available to scientists from all over the world. Each year, about 1 500 researchers perform there over 800 experiments in the most varied fields: biology, chemistry, soft matter, nuclear physics, material science, etc.

The Navy uses nuclear power both for nuclear deterrence and for energy production to power some of its ships (all submarines and the aircraft carrier "Charles de Gaulle").

Nuclear energy allows mobility and endurance, which are two major assets to naval operations. Three prototype boiler houses on land, 16 submarine boiler rooms (6 of which are permanently shut down) and two aircraft carrier boiler rooms have already been designed and operated, and for some, even dismantled. Three military ports in France accommodate nuclear naval bases. Specificity of these nuclear sites is their integration in major urban centers (Toulon, Brest, Cherbourg). In addition, these ports are open to roadsteads that constitute sensitive ecosystems.

The French Navy has laboratories specialized in radiological monitoring, which collect and analyze terrestrial, atmospheric and marine samples collected in port areas.

The Association for Control of Radioactivity in West (ACRO), a non-profit organization created in 1986 under French Act of 1901, has its own radioactivity measurement laboratory, to provide civil society with information and reliable, independent measurements. The creation of such an organization is the consequence of the civil society evolution to make the citizen author and actor in the monitoring of its environment as of its information. Their action relies on citizen’s vigilance. To support and challenge the official monitoring.

As part of its Citizen's Observatory of Radioactivity, the ACRO conducts regular monitoring of environmental radioactivity throughout the Seine-Normandy basin, and also conducts investigations in other areas on specific individual request, or for environmental protection non-profit organization or CLI. Their actions not only aim at the consequences of discharges from nuclear installations, but also take into account the natural radioactivity and the use of unsealed sources in nuclear medicine (in particular).

Approved Air Quality Monitoring Associations (AASQAs) are French organizations responsible for measuring and studying ambient air pollution. Created following the Air Quality and Rational Energy Use Act of December 30, 1996, these associations, governed by the 1901 law, are accredited by the Ministry of the Environment. There is at least one AASQA per French administrative region, forming a network of 18 associations in mainland France and overseas.

In 2000, the AASQAs created the Atmo France Federation to represent them at the national level and share their expertise and resources. The AASQAs' primary missions are air quality monitoring, assessment, and forecasting, as well as public information on these topics. They use a network of over 550 measurement stations spread across the country and modeling tools to monitor regulated pollutants.

Local Information Commissions (CLI) were set up in the 1980s around most of the nuclear installations by the County Councils. The CLIs have a general mission of monitoring, information and consultation in the field of nuclear safety, radiological protection and the impact of nuclear activities. At the national level, the ANCCLI federates the 36 existing CLIs in France and ensures the link between local concerns and national actions.

CLIs take part in the radioactivity monitoring by having expertises and/or certified measurements carried out, in relation with discharge released by a facility into the environment. This is called citizen expertise. The ANCCLI participates, with the support of its Scientific Committee, in the public consultations launched by the ASN and the government on the regulatory updates relative to the environment and the monitoring of nuclear installation discharges.

The Nuclear Equipment Standardization Office for Nuclear Facilities (BNEN) is the French standardization office in charge of standards for civilian nuclear activities.

It manages 5 standardization commissions, one of which deals with methods of measuring radioactivity in the main environmental compartments: air, water, soil, bio-indicators and food.