Radioactive effluent releases from nuclear installations have generally been substantially reduced in recent years, well below regulatory requirements. At the same time, international and intergovernmental agreements and declarations, as well as national policies, continue to seek to optimise and further reduce such releases. Nevertheless, due to societal concerns about levels of radioactivity in the environment, the management of effluent releases from nuclear installations remains high on the agenda of public discussion.

This report provides basic technical information on different options for managing and regulating radioactive effluent releases from nuclear installations during normal operation. It should contribute to national and international discussions in this area and be of particular interest to both nuclear regulatory authorities and nuclear power plant operators.