Liquid discharges from nuclear installations in 2017

Executive Summary

Data are available on ODIMS via: https://odims.ospar.org/documents/1652

This annual report includes 2017 data of liquid radioactive discharges from nuclear installations and temporal trends for the period 1990 - 2017. On this basis, an assessment has been made for the discharges from nuclear power stations, nuclear fuel reprocessing plants, nuclear fuel fabrication and enrichment plants, research and development facilities, and decommissioning and management of legacy radioactive wastes activities. Discharges are reported as total alpha, tritium and total beta activity (excluding tritium) in terabecquerel per year (TBq/y) for each type of nuclear installation.

Discharges of radioactive substances measured as total alpha and total beta activity (excluding tritium) from nuclear installations have decreased over the period 1990 – 2017. Discharges of tritium peaked in 2004.

There is a decrease in the total alpha activity discharged from all nuclear installations over the 25-year period. Discharges are at the lowest reported level since 1990, accounting for around 8% of the peak value in 1993.

Total beta activity (excluding tritium) from all nuclear installations has decreased markedly since 1990 and is now only about 4% of what it was in 1990.