The logical consequence of the age of the sites and their predominantly urban characteristic (the Paris area is the historic cradle of the radium industry) is that sites have usually been reused for other purposes, including for housing. As a result, the current owners cannot be treated as responsible for the pollution that affects them. These occupied sites are in fact consid­ered as ‘assimilated to orphans’ sites, although they have an owner present. This question raises starkly the two questions of health during the works and inheritance aspects for the management of these sites, aspects that have been neglected in the past.

ANDRA personnel are used to (and are chosen for their ability to) incorporate these aspects in their delicate human relations with residents. However, any difficulties or particular relational situations (and issues potentially difficult to live with) should immediately be shared with man­agement to find adequate answers so that no added burden is put on the personnel involved. In any case, it is important to remain aware of the psychological and social dimension of the remediation of these sites.