The need and requirements for environmental monitoring

England's Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) has a statutory obligation to monitor the environs of its ten operational nuclear power station sites. The Board meets this obligation firstly by station staff undertaking a routine surveillance program at each site and secondly by providing a centralized facility (Central Radiochemical Laboratories, Gravesend) to carry out specialist determinations on a routine basis. The Laboratory's work also ensures that any future requirements can be met by carrying out an adequate development program. The CEGB undertakes research into dose assessment and food chain modelling on the one hand and application of all Board data to show compliance with the statutory requirements on the other. With the ever increasing need to provide public assurance on the safe operation of nuclear plant, the Board is continually developing monitoring techniques and schemes. Currently this is extending to solid waste disposal where British Nuclear Fuels plc require a full radionuclide inventory for all materials handled by them for burial. The Board will provide a sufficient monitoring program to meet the needs. 1 tab