Radioactivity, environment and the public: Building an index of environmental radioactivity

In the end of 2007, ASN launched an internal reflexion on the information of the public on the radioactivity levels in the environment. The aim was to develop a radioactivity environment scale or index, based on existing scales used for air pollution. After the presentation of a demonstration model by ASN in 2008 to HCTISN, a working group (WG) was constituted in the beginning of 2009 by ASN with stakeholders with the approval in March 2009 of the goals to be reached by this index: a communication instrument to qualify the information of the radioactivity levels in the environment, consistent with INES, particularly when sanitary consequences may occur, easy to elaborate from the available measured values of radioactivity and always usable for any location, independently of an incidental or accidental situation.