These organizations run laboratories and fixed monitoring equipment and collect a range of samples of marine and terrestrial foodstuffs, seawater and plankton.

OPRI operates:

All of the above locations are on Tahiti where in addition milk and seawater samples are collected regularly on behalf of OPRI by the Laboratoire d'Etude et de Surveillance (LESE) located at Mahina. (Other environmental samples from locations in French Polynesia are collected for the purposes of specific monitoring campaigns.) Additionally mobile daily aerosol monitoring equipment and a 6-monthly integrating gamma dosemeter are operated on the atoll of Rangiro which is some 300 km NNE of Tahiti and about equidistant from Tahiti and Mururoa.

IPSN operates the LESE laboratory at Mahina. In addition to operating a high-volume air sampler at Mahina (one sample over a 10-day period but overnight operation only) LESE carries out a regular sampling programme in the framework of the Institute's worldwide network of foodstuffs sampling. Further, a roughly equivalent number of biological samples along with samples of sea-water are provided to IPSN by DIRCEN independent of the latter's monitoring programme (see below). Given the large distances and low population densities involved, a few locations are taken to be representative of the total area, typically (for 1993-94):

DIRCEN operates high volume air sampling, rain-water collection and gamma dose-rate monitoring stations at Faaa and at Mururoa. Biological samples in various archipelagos, pelagic fish, and seawater from within the 12 mile limit of territorial waters and seawater and sediments from the Mururoa lagoon are taken and analysed in the Mururoa laboratory. No positive information was received on any monitoring programme for Fangataufa and no comprehensive overview of the DIRCEN sampling programme was provided.

3. Installations Visited

The Commission's verification team visited most of the installations installed by OPRI and IPSN. Access to the facilities of DIRCEN at Mururoa and Fangataufa was not, or only partially, granted.

For OPRI, all of the above-mentioned stations except Faaa, were visited. The equipment is similar to that installed in OPRI facilities in France. RESERVATIONS were entered with respect to the fact that not all rainwater is sampled at Mahina and as regards facilities at Rangiroa and at Vaina in that they had only been installed immediately prior to the verification visit. An ANOMALY was uncovered regarding the water sample for the first 3-month period in 1995 which had not been sent to OPRI and could not be traced.

APPRECIATION, the environmental surveillance is satisfactory from the health point of view.

For IPSN, the verification of the local sampling agent's activities at Rangiroa showed these to be satisfactory. A RESERVATION was entered as regards the high volume air samplers at Mahina which were used for overnight operation only; continuous operation would be preferred. The LESE laboratory at Mahina was found to be appropriate to the detection limits required for the estimation of population exposure. The archiving system is adequate but could be made more accessible. Sampling collection procedures are satisfactory.

APPRECIATION, satisfactory for the purpose of estimation of population exposure.

For DIRCEN, high volume air sampling for atmospheric aerosols, rainwater collection equipment and gamma doserate measurement equipment are installed at Mururoa as is an apparently well- equipped laboratory but verification was not permitted. Full access was given to the vessel MARARA owned by DIRCEN but with a civilian crew; it is used for sampling and conditioning, where appropriate, sea-water at various depths, plankton, pelagic and lagoon fish and crustacea and for collecting terrestrial samples. The vessel is currently in dock at Tahiti for programmed maintenance and engine replacement but this did not affect the scheduled cruise programme for 1995. The sampling equipment was shown and described but more detailed technical questions could not be answered.

APPRECIATION, not possible due to limited access.

OVERALL APPRECIATION

The results of verification at OPRI and IPSN facilities are satisfactory. Access was given to only part of the DIRCEN facilities and where access was provided verification was denied. It is the Commission's view that DIRCEN facilities are an integral part of the environmental monitoring in French Polynesia, in particular, since they permit a more accurate evaluation of the source term of environmental contamination.

4. Access limited or refused

Access was limited or refused in respect of:

Additionally, no fresh information on these installations was offered in the course of discussion.

5. Other issues addressed at Mururoa

Apart from environmental monitoring issues in the framework of the verification visit, the Commission team also asked a number of questions in particular with regard to the possible dangerous character of the nuclear tests and possible additional safety measures taken. Such questions pertained to geological and hydrological aspects, long-term prospects, exposures from atmospheric testing, follow-up of possible health effects, restoration prospects, etc.

Information requested by the team on these matters was generally denied and information provided did not go beyond that previously available from the documentation received.

6. Conclusions

Verification activities outwith military establishments were generally satisfactory and gave rise to no major observations with regard to the reliable operation and the efficiency of the facilities and the adequacy of the monitoring programmes.

However, verification of those facilities which were visited at Mururoa was not allowed and access to the environmental monitoring facilities at Fangataufa was totally denied. Access was also denied to the facilities at Faa. Because of this it is impossible to give an unreserved view on the efficiency and adequacy of the overall surveillance system in place.

Information requested, at Mururoa, by the team on a range of matters was generally denied and did not go beyond that previously available from the documentation received.

Annexe I - Programme completed by Team

Annexe II

Verification Team and Accompanying French Representatives

Commission Verification Team:

A. Janssens (Team Leader)    DG XI/C/1
M. Herzeele                  DG XI/C/1
I. Hall                      DG XI/C/1

Accompanying French Representatives:

M. Jean-Francois Lecomte    (Secretariat du CTI) Chef de       
                             Delegation

M. Jean Blanc               (OPRI)

M. Daniel Robeau            (IPSN)

French Representatives met on the spot:
 
Le General Vericel