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Assessment of the radiological impact and associated risk to non-human biota from routine liquid discharges of the Belgian nuclear power plants

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  07 September 2012

H. Vandenhove ,
L. Sweeck ,
J. Wannijn ,
M. Van Hees  and
B. Lance
H. Vandenhove
Affiliation:
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Biosphere Impact Studies, 2400 Mol, Belgium
L. Sweeck
Affiliation:
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Biosphere Impact Studies, 2400 Mol, Belgium
J. Wannijn
Affiliation:
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Biosphere Impact Studies, 2400 Mol, Belgium
M. Van Hees
Affiliation:
Belgian Nuclear Research Centre, Biosphere Impact Studies, 2400 Mol, Belgium
B. Lance
Affiliation:
Gdf-Suez, Electrabel Corporate Nuclear Safety Department, 1000 Brussels, Belgium
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Abstract

We performed an Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) to evaluate the impact on non-human biota from liquid radioactive effluents discharged by the Belgian Nuclear Power Plants (NPPs) of Doel and Tihange. A deterministic risk assessment for aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems was performed using the ERICA tool and applying the ERICA screening value of 10 µGy.h-1. The ERA was performed for the radioactive discharge limits and for the actual releases (maxima and averages over the last 10 years, 1999-2008). All ERICA reference organisms were considered and depending on the assessment situation, additional reference organisms were included in the analysis. It can be concluded that the current discharge limits for the Belgian NPPs do not result in significant risks to the aquatic and terrestrial environment and that the actual discharges, which are a fraction of the liquid discharge limits, are unlikely to harm the environment.

Keywords

impact assessmentwildliferadioactivityreleasesnuclear power plants
Type
Research Article
Information
Radioprotection , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , July 2012 , pp. 413 - 421
Copyright
© EDP Sciences, 2012

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References

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