Liquid Discharges from Nuclear Installations in 2022
Executive Summary
Data are available on ODIMS via: https://odims.ospar.org/en/submissions/ospar_discharges_nuclear_2022_01/
This report presents the 2022 data for liquid radioactive discharges from nuclear installations along with
temporal trends for the period 1989 - 2022. On this basis, an assessment has been made for the discharges
from the nuclear sector which comprises the following sub-sectors;
- nuclear power stations;
- nuclear fuel reprocessing plants;
- nuclear fuel fabrication and enrichment plants;
- research and development facilities;
- decommissioning facilities and management of legacy radioactive wastes activities.
Full Report
Discharges are reported as total alpha, tritium and total beta (excluding tritium) in terabecquerels per year
(TBq/y).
The overall trend in 2022 is a continued decrease in most reported discharges which reflects the longer-term trend.
The total discharges of alpha activity from all nuclear installations in 2022 were 0.11 TBq which is 31% lower or 0.05 TBq than the previous year. Discharges of total alpha in 2022 were only about 3.5% of the 1989 peak and the lowest on record. Discharges from the fuel reprocessing sub-sector contributed 46% and decommissioning contributed 49% of the overall total alpha discharge in 2022 combining in a total of 0.107 TBq. Operational alpha discharges from Sellafield contributed 25% (0.027 TBq) of alpha discharges from all nuclear installations in 2022, a decrease from 30% in 2021.
The total discharge of tritium in 2022 was about 13,000 TBq, the same as 2021. This is about 38% lower than the peak seen in 2004. Discharges of tritium are dominated by those from the reprocessing sector (with 81% of the total from all installations coming from Cap de la Hague and Sellafield).
Discharges of total beta activity (excluding tritium) from all nuclear installations have decreased markedly since 1989 and in 2022 were only about 1.3% of what they were in 1989. In 2022 total beta discharges decreased by around 14% from the previous year to about 12 TBq. This represents the lowest recorded levels since 1989. 2022 recorded decreases across all sectors in total beta discharges.
Location of Nuclear Facilities in OSPAR countries discharging directly or indirectly to the OSPAR maritime area in 2022. Available via https://odims.ospar.org/en/submissions/ospar_discharges_nuclear_2022_01/