The objective of this epidemiological study is to describe the health status of the population living near the Soulaines Radioactive Waste Repository. It focuses on cancers diagnosed in the departments of Aube and Haute-Marne since the site began operations in 1992. The results are expressed as relative risks (RR), which compare the risk of developing cancer within a 15-km zone defined around the site with the rest of the two departments. Among adults, no significant difference in mortality or morbidity was observed for all cancers, with the exception of an excess of lung cancer among men living in the “15-km zone” around the site compared to the rest of the two departments. Among children, because the number of cancers was low, the analysis could not be performed. A supplementary analysis showed that there was no excess risk of death from lung cancer among men between 1988 and 1997. However, the results are sensitive to the definition of the study period and area. Regarding rare cancers, when the study population is small, as is the case around the site, the ability of such a study to detect an excess relative risk is limited. This study does not establish causality for the observed relationship, but particular attention should be paid to lung cancers to verify whether the observed excess persists over time. (R.A.)