ACRO - Activity report 2013

ACRO (Association for radioactivity control in the West) is a French non governmental organisation that operates a laboratory for radioactivity analysis. Created in 1986 as a response to people's demands for information and reliable independent testing, the organisation mainly carries out missions of information and training for a wide audience. Thanks to its structure, it enables citizens to involve themselves together with scientists so as to gain access to information that was hither to reserved to specialists. The association was granted a technical qualification certificate for its testing and measurement activities by the French Health Authorities. The ACRO has developed an expertise which make it an essential player in public debates as well as in numerous work groups and official committees. After a presentation of the missions and means of the association, this activity report reviews the highlights of the past year: follow up of the Fukushima catastrophe impacts; the Public Observatory of radioactivity; participative approach and independent expertise; studies and expertises; training and educational activities; public information and publications; spot measurements and regulatory controls; press review