Prescription launching related to the chemical measurement methods in the waste and environmental field with regards to the regulation framework dedicated to the NPP chemical releases

At the present time, chemical analytical methods are elaborated by EDF Corporate Laboratories and then transmitted to the NPP laboratories for them to decline these procedures to fit with their own analytical devices. In fact, the feedback linked to the exceedings of the regulatory release thresholds pointed out that some differences in the chemical releases regarding several chemical substances could be attributed to the measurement channel. In some cases, one can exhibit a significant increase concerning some NPP chemical releases which can be due to modifications inherent to preservation methods and/or sample analyses. In 2004, this context lead EDF Nuclear Generation Corporate Division supported by NPP Representatives to prescribe the chemical analytical methods in the effluents and environment field and to standardise the dedicated chemical analytical devices. Several goals are carried on : To develop reliable, simple, rapid and applicable on site procedures which are congruent with the existing standards or with a simple adaptation of the standardised method when the standard is not directly applicable or does not fit; To standardise the dedicated analytical devices already available or available at a reasonable investment; To encourage an optimisation of the human resources; and, Health potential problems are also taken into account in the choice of the chemical reagents to be used in the analytical procedures. Other positive consequences can be pointed out concerning the regulatory framework, that is to say a consolidation with regards to the documents linked to the new requests exhibited in the NPP new licences for waste releases and water supply. For the citizens, it reinforces the confidence in the efficiency of the releases surveillance. (author)