CONTEXT
Throughout the world, millions of radioactive sources are used for multiple applications. In addition to the nuclear industry, other sectors are concerned: Health, engineering controls, non-nuclear industries (medical imaging, industrial irradiation, devices containing radioactive sources, etc.). Each year in France, approximately 980.000 packages of radioactive sources are transiting the national territory at 96% by road, all sectors included.
A part of these packages is related to the nuclear fuel cycle and its waste (fissile material packages, parcels containing uranium hexafluoride, etc.) and presents a high radiological activity. As it involves a significant amount of transports (114.000 packages each year for 19.000 transports), it is thus a major safety issue. Indeed, the public and the environment could be exposed to radioactive contamination in case of an incident related to a leak caused by bad packaging.
Consequently, the ruggedness of those parcels must be guaranteed by a series of thorough assessments made on the international level. In France, the Nuclear Safety Authority (ASN) ensures the conformity of the packages and delivers approval certificates, hence allowing transportation on the national territory. In a regular situation, both visual and administrative controls must be performed during the transit of radioactive materials. Those inspections are made on key locations (ports, airports, terrestrial borders), before export and after delivery, in order to check if the transporter has the right documents when entering and leaving the site. This requires to maintain a control on the presence of orphan sources in vehicles, loads and containers, as well as on pedestrians.
