The Transports of Nuclear Fuel Cycle: An Essential Activity, Safely Managed

Transports associated with the nuclear fuel cycle nonnally use public means of transport by rail, road, sea and air and it might therefore be expected that they would be the Achilles heel of the cycle from a safety point of view. In fact, decades of smooth transport operations show that most probably the weak point of the cycle is elsewhere. In fact, despite a few minor accidents, no radioactive releases resulting in a significant exposure of the public or the environment have occurred. On the other hand, during the last quarter, the news media have reported major spillages of crude oil and chemicals of high toxicity which have jeopardized the environment, the explosion of gas tankers with dozens of fatalities, and even the sinking of a nuclear submarine. AU reports show that the radiation exposure to the public resulting from transports is negligible, i.e., far below 1% of that due to the whole nuclear industry. Similarly, the radiation exposure of transport workers has been lower than anticipated over several decades and this has encouraged the IAEA to reduce the allowable annual dose to 5 mSv, thus implementing their ALARA principle. Due to the lack of accidents with emotional appeal, the media seem only moderately interested by the fuel cycle transports so that the public know little about them. The demonstrations and attacks by opponents of the nuclear industry against transports have been limited and have been used as an attempt to freeze the activity of different plants or disposal sites, and to focus public attention on the nuclear issue, rather than to question the fuel cycle transports themselves or the safety principles ruling them. When looking for explanations of such a favourable situation, which we should endeavour to perpetuate, without being surprised if any incident occurs, one finds two major reasons: First, the awareness by the fuel cycle operators, of the vital importance of a safe and reliable implementation of the necessary transports. Secondly, the results of assessments of safety conducted by international organizations and most countries, which have resulted in detailed international recommendations, as well as uniform national and modal regulations, thus establishing the necessary link between the basic rules for radioprotection and the needs of the Transport Industry.