[en] In 1990 the French Commissariat a l'energie atomique (CEA) had to deal with a series of issues concerning depositories of radioactive substances of very low activity, culminating, in October 1990, with the discovery of small amounts of plutonium in a depository. These were important issues for the following reasons: they highlighted the question o low activity wastes and their treatment, that is not yet resolved; they drew attention to the sensitivity of the concerned organisations, elected representatives and the public to the problems of radioactivity however low its level; they made the CEA aware of the gap that existed between the nuclear industry's practices, language and perception of risks and the perception of the French public. This paper outlines the different 'affairs', shows their common bases, and analyses the consequences for the CEA and the nuclear industry in general. These 'affairs' illustrate the absolute obligation for all producers of wastes to know, and to make known in the smallest detail, the way in which the wastes are treated and the places where they are stored and kept. Waste management has not always been as a noble task. These 'affairs' have shown that the reputation of the CEA was measured as much by the quality of its waste management as by the success of its research programme, with a budget that has doubled in the last few years. (author)