Cyclife France in its environment

Cyclife is focused on combining technical and economic performance with sustainable improvements in nuclear safety, industrial safety,  radiation protection and environmental management. Via its activities at the Centraco site and producer's sites, Cyclife France subjects radioactive waste and materials to volume reduction and conditioning processes in order to limit the space occupied at Andra's storage facilities. Where possible, some waste is recovered for re-use.
As a responsible industrial company, Cyclife France has been committed to environmental management since 2003, evidenced in the fact that it has obtained ISO 14001 certification in recognition of its continuous improvement in environmental matters. This international standard certifies that an organisation has effective environmental processes and procedures in place.

Cyclife France has additionally gained two further certifications: ISO 9001 (obtained in 2005), demonstrating the company's commitment to placing continuous improvement at the heart of its management approach; and OHSAS 18001 (obtained in 2006), in recognition of its focus on workplace health and safety.

These three certifications have been regularly renewed since they were first awarded.

Integrated management system

Since 2004, the certification body AFAQ/AFNOR has issued Safety, Quality and Environment certificates to Cyclife France for all of its low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste treatment activities.
Cyclife France's integrated management system is regularly reviewed and improved on the basis of operating experience, developments at company level, and changes in the industrial and regulatory environment.
01

Processes that incorporate safety, quality and environmental aspects are key drivers of efficiency and improvement for the company. Closely focused management of processes, and enhanced monitoring of compliance with the French Basic Nuclear Installation Basic Nuclear Installations decree of 7 February 2012 are currently the main areas of focus in terms of quality.

02

For several years, Cyclife France has been optimising its consumption of the natural resources and raw materials needed for the firm's operational activities. These efforts are reflected in the reductions achieved in water, electricity and fuel consumption as well as in waste volumes.

Strict compliance with release approvals issued by Government ensures that discharges to the environment are controlled.

In addition, Cyclife France has systems in place to monitor liquid and gaseous releases from its facilities, ensuring that it ranks among the best performing French companies in this field.

All of these efforts help limit the impact of Cyclife France's activities on people, plants, animals and the environment in general.

03

Safety improvement actions, including preventive measures, are based on risk situations identified, and analysis of "near-misses". 

04

In terms of corporate social responsibility, Cyclife France complies with the Ethics Charter of the EDF Group, as a wholly owned subsidiary.

Centraco: an environment-friendly plant

The equipment at the Centraco plant is designed to minimise off-site releases.
Like any Basic Nuclear Installation, the facility meets strict, specific standards and controls imposed by the French Nuclear Safety Authority.
Two containment barriers are placed between radioactive materials and the environment.
 
The plant's design features ensure that, even in the event of failure of both barriers, the dose received by the local population would remain below 1 milliSievert (the annual exposure limit for populations living in the vicinity of nuclear installations).
 
Close monitoring of low-level radioactive waste
The waste treated by Cyclife France is subjected to continuous monitoring, from collection to storage at ANDRA.
All waste has to meet a set of specific acceptance criteria, encompassing radioactivity, physical/chemical composition, and conditioning.
 
Releases from the Centraco site are regulated by approvals from the French Industry, Environment and Health ministries.
The performance of radiological filtration and chemical cleaning systems ensures compliance with very strict thresholds.
Special instrumentation is in place to continuously monitor filters and analyse releases via the plant stack, to ensure that the expected level of efficiency is achieved.
 
The only liquid effluents released by the Centraco site originate from the treatment of fumes from the incineration unit.
The level of radioactivity in these effluents is very low (comparable with natural radioactivity).
 
They are treated via chemical neutralisation and filtration, before being transferred to the Marcoule liquid effluent treatment station for release into the River Rhône.

Cyclife France is responsible for its releases, as well as for monitoring its environment. Environmental monitoring is carried out by the competent departments at CEA Marcoule, which are capable of detecting any increase in radioactivity in the vicinity of the site.