Commission Recommendation of 18 December 2003 on standardised information on radioactive airborne and liquid discharges into the environment from nuclear power reactors and reprocessing plants in normal operation (notified under document number C(2003) 4832)
Date: 2003-12-18
Institutions: European Commission
Subjects: environmental monitoring, exchange of information, nuclear reactor, radioactive effluent

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II

(Acts whose publication is not obligatory)

COMMISSION

COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION

of 18 December 2003

on standardised information on radioactive airborne and liquid discharges into the environment
from nuclear power reactors and reprocessing plants in normal operation

(notified under document number C(2003) 4832)

(2004/2/Euratom)

THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,

(4)

Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Atomic
Energy Community, and in particular Article 124 thereof,

Having consulted the group of persons appointed in accord-
ance with Article 31 of the Treaty by the Scientific and Tech-
nical Committee,

Whereas:

(1)

(2)

(3)

Under Title II, Chapter 3, of
the Euratom Treaty,
Member States regularly report to the Commission on
assessed levels of environmental radioactivity.

Article 35 of the Euratom Treaty requires each Member
State to establish the facilities necessary to carry out
continuous monitoring of the level of radioactivity in
the air, water and soil and to ensure compliance with
the basic standards.

Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty requires the appro-
priate authorities to periodically communicate to the
Commission information on the environmental checks
referred to in Article 35, so that it is kept informed on
the level of radioactivity to which the public is exposed.
The information on the checks referred to in Article 35
also concerns information on levels of radioactivity in
discharges as this is necessary for the assessment of the
environmental
impact of such discharges. This aspect
was not within the scope of Commission Recommenda-
tion 2000/473/Euratom of 8 June 2000 on the applica-
tion of Article 36 of the Euratom Treaty concerning the
monitoring of the levels of radioactivity in the environ-
ment for the purpose of assessing the exposure of the
population as a whole (1). It is appropriate to define and
specify such information.

(5)

(6)

Following Commission Recommendation 1999/829/
Euratom of 6 December 1999 on the application of
the Euratom Treaty (2), Member States
Article 37 of
regularly communicate to the Commission a statement
on radioactive liquid and airborne discharges into the
environment from nuclear power reactors and reproces-
sing plants. However, Recommendation 1999/829/
Euratom does not specify the content of the information
to be provided in the statement. This Recommendation
defines and specifies that information.

the dangers of

Article 45 of Council Directive 96/29/Euratom of 13
May 1996 laying down basic safety standards for the
protection of the health of workers and the general
ionising radiation (3)
public against
requires the competent authorities of Member States to
ensure that estimates of doses to the population from
to prior authorisation are made as
practices subject
realistic as possible; nuclide-specific information on
radioactive discharges into the environment is needed
for the assessment of such doses.

Standardised information on radionuclides discharged
into the environment from nuclear power reactors and
reprocessing plants during normal operation is needed
to achieve comparable measurement results of radioac-
tive discharges on a Community scale and to ensure that
minimum standards for the analysis methods are met
across the Community. For this purpose, for each cate-
gory of radioactive discharges and each type of nuclear
installation considered, it is appropriate to identify key
for detection limits
nuclides to which requirements
should apply. These key nuclides should represent cate-
gories of radionuclides or a specific type of radiation, be
significant
impact and be
suitable measurement sensitivity indicators.

in terms of

radiological

(7)

The Commission regularly publishes reports on annual
radioactive effluents from nuclear power stations and
nuclear fuel reprocessing plants in the European Com-

(1) OJ L 191, 27.7.2000, p. 37.

(2) OJ L 324, 16.12.1999, p. 23.
(3) OJ L 159, 29.6.1996, p. 1.

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munity and on assessment of the radiological impact on
the population of the European Union from European
Union nuclear sites. The significance and transparency of
the Commission's reports would be enhanced if they
were based on standardised information.

(8)

It is important to ensure at this stage, as a first step
towards harmonisation at Community level, the compar-
ability of the information provided on levels of radioac-
tivity in discharges from nuclear power reactors and
nuclear fuel reprocessing plants in normal operation.
Dismantling operations should not be covered by this
Recommendation, as these are of a different nature and
give rise to different types of waste,

HEREBY RECOMMENDS:

1. This Recommendation defines information selected for
monitoring and reporting to the European Commission on
radionuclides discharged or liable to be discharged from
nuclear power reactors and reprocessing plants in normal
operation.

2. For the purpose of this Recommendation, the following

definition apply:

(a) ‘normal operation’: normal activities relating to the
operation of a nuclear power reactor or reprocessing
plant, including the decommissioning phase (shutdown
and containment and surveillance operations), but not
the dismantling phase;

(b) ‘key nuclide’: suitable measurement sensitivity indi-

cator, selected for each radionuclide category;

(c) ‘detection limit’: smallest true value of the measurand
that is detectable, with a given probability of error, by
the measuring method;

(d) ‘decision threshold’: the fixed value of the decision
quantity (random variable for the decision whether the
physical effect to be measured is present or not) by
which, when exceeded by the result of an actual
measurement of a measurand quantifying a physical
effect, it is decided that the physical effect is present.

3. For airborne and liquid discharges from nuclear power
reactors and reprocessing plants, Member States should
assess the discharged activity of all radionuclides consid-
ered in column 1 of Annex I.

5. In situations where a similar accuracy can be achieved by
the calculation of discharges for specific radionuclides on
the basis of operational data, or on the basis of measure-
ment
such calculated
discharge values may be used as a substitute for direct
measurements.

radionuclides,

for other

results

6. The determination of detection limits, decision thresholds,
and the expression of results should comply with interna-
tional standard ISO/IS 11929-7. For practical reasons, even
though technically the decision threshold is below half the
detection limit actually achieved for a measurement, the
decision threshold may conservatively be taken to be equal
to one half of the detection limit.

7. Where measurement outcomes are below the decision
threshold, these outcomes should conservatively be substi-
tuted by one half of the decision threshold. However, if
repeated measurement outcomes in the period considered
are all below the decision threshold, then it is reasonable
to assume that the true value is zero, i.e. that the radionu-
clide is not present in the discharge.

8. Member States should report the following information on
radioactive discharges to the Commission in the format of
the compilation sheets outlined in Annex II:

(a) annual discharge values for each radionuclide listed in
column 1 of Annex I for which there is at least one
measurement outcome above the decision threshold in
the period considered, or for which a calculated assess-
ment has been made in the same period;

(b) for each key nuclide, the highest value of the detection
limit that has been obtained among all the measure-
ments for the period considered;

(c) estimates of radionuclide discharges based on calcula-
tion, as a substitute for measurement, when measure-
ment is technically not feasible;

(d) as far as available,

form of
tritium, carbon-14 and iodine discharges to the atmo-
sphere;

the chemical/physical

(e) the time basis for the reported values, and where
appropriate information on the summation method
used, including the substitutes for values below deci-
sion threshold, which have been used in estimating
summation results;

(f) the sampling method for the effluent streams.

4. In situations where measured values are below detection
limits, for key nuclides identified in column 2 of Annex I,
the detection limits achieved should not exceed the corre-
sponding requirements defined in column 3 of Annex I.

The information referred to in (d), (e) and (f) should be
provided in the commentaries. Estimated values as referred
to in (c) should be identified as such in a commentary
together with an indication of the method used and, where
appropriate, any relevant detection limit

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9. The period of reporting information on radioactive discharges should be one calendar year. Informa-
tion on radioactive discharges should be submitted no later than 30 September of the following year.

10. This Recommendation is addressed to the Member States.

Done at Brussels, 18 December 2003.

For the Commission

Loyola DE PALACIO

Vice-President

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Standardised information on radionuclides discharged from nuclear power reactors and reprocessing plants
during normal operation

ANNEX I

A. Nuclear power reactors

A.1 Discharges to atmosphere

Category and list of radionuclides

Key nuclides

Requirement for the detection
limit (in Bq/m3)

Noble gases

Ar-41

Kr-85

Kr-85m

Kr-87

Kr-88

Kr-89

Xe-131m

Xe-133

Xe-133m

Xe-135

Xe-135m

Xe-137

Xe-138

Sulphur-35

Particulates (excluding iodines)

Cr-51

Mn-54

Co-58

Fe-59

Co-60

Zn-65

Sr-89

Sr-90

Zr-95

Nb-95

Ag-110m

Sb-122

Sb-124

Sb-125

Cs-134

Cs-137

Ba-140

La-140

Ce-141

Ce-144

Pu-238

Kr-85 (1)

1E – 04 (2)

Xe-133 (3)

1E + 04

S-35 (3)

1E + 01

Co-60

1E – 02

Sr-90

2E – 02

Cs-137

3E – 02

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Category and list of radionuclides

Key nuclides

Requirement for the detection
limit (in Bq/m3)

Pu-239 + Pu-240

Am-241

Cm-242

Cm-243

Cm-244

Total-alpha (4)

Iodines

I-131

I-132

I-133

I-135

Tritium

Carbon-14

Pu-239 + Pu-240

Am-241

5E – 03

5E – 03

Total-alpha

1E – 02

I-131

2E – 02

H-3

C-14

1E + 03

1E + 01

(1) For LWR.
(2) Can normally be obtained by beta-measurement after decay of short-lived isotopes.
(3) For gas-cooled-type reactors.
(4) Total-alpha should only be reported if nuclide-specific information on alpha-emitters is not available.

A.2 Liquid discharges

Category and list of radionuclides

Key nuclides

Requirement for the detection
limit (in Bq/m3)

Tritium

H-3

1E + 05

Other radionuclides (excluding H-3)

S-35 (2)

3E + 04

Co-60

1E + 04

Sr-90

1E + 03

S-35

Cr-51

Mn-54

Fe-55

Fe-59

Co-58

Co-60

Ni-63

Zn-65

Sr-89

Sr-90

Zr-95

Nb-95

Ru-103

Ru-106

Ag-110m

Sb-122

Te-123m

Sb-124

Sb-125

I-131

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Category and list of radionuclides

Key nuclides

Requirement for the detection
limit (in Bq/m3)

Cs-134

Cs-137

Ba-140

La-140

Ce-141

Ce-144

Pu-238

Pu-239 + Pu-240

Am-241

Cm-242

Cm-243

Cm-244

Total-alpha (1)

Cs-137

1E + 04

Pu-239 + Pu-240

Am-241

6E + 03

5E + 01

Total-alpha

1E + 03

(1) Total-alpha should only be reported if nuclide-specific information on alpha-emitters is not available.
(2) For gas-cooled-type reactors.

B. Reprocessing plants

B.1 Discharges to atmosphere

Category and list of radionuclides

Key nuclides

Requirement for the detection
limit (in Bq/m3)

Noble gases

Kr-85

Beta/gamma-emitting particulates (excluding iodines)

Co-60

Sr-90

Ru-106

Sb-125

Cs-134

Cs-137

Pu-241

Alpha-emitting particulates

Pu-238

Pu-239 + Pu-240

Am-241

Cm-242

Cm-243

Cm-244

Iodines

I-129

Tritium

Carbon-14

Kr-85

1E + 04

Co-60

Sr-90

Ru-106

3E – 02

2E – 02

3E – 02

Cs-137

3E – 02

Pu-239 + Pu-240

1E – 03

Cm-242

1E – 03

I-129

H-3

C-14

2E + 00

1E + 03

1E + 01

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B.2 Liquid discharges (1)

Category and list of radionuclides

Key nuclides

Requirement for the detection
limit (in Bq/m3)

Tritium

H-3

1E + 05

Beta/gamma-emitters (excluding H-3)

C-14

S-35 (1)

Mn-54

Fe-55

Co-57

Co-58

Co-60

Ni-63

Zn-65

Sr-89

Sr-90

Zr-95 + Nb-95

Tc-99

Ru-103

Ru-106

Ag-110m

Sb-124

Sb-125

I-129

Cs-134

Cs-137

Ce-144

Pm-147

Eu-152

Eu-154

Eu-155

Pu-241

Alpha-emitters

Np-237

Pu-238

Pu-239 + Pu-240

Am-241

Cm-242

Cm-243

Cm-244

Uranium (2)

Co-60

1E + 04

Sr-90

1E + 03

I-129

Cs-137

5E + 04

1E + 04

Pu-239 + Pu-240

6E + 03

Cm-242

6E + 03

(1) Even though S-35 does not arise during reprocessing activities it is considered in the list, see previous footnote.
(2) Uranium discharges can be reported in kg.

(1) Liquid effluents of reprocessing plants are normally treated together with liquids of other facilities on the same site.

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ANNEX II

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