Les risques industriels

Commissariat général au développement durableJul 21, 2020

Les risques technologiques recouvrent les risques industriels, nucléaires et biologiques. Cinq sources de risque technologique majeur sont présentes en France : les installations industrielles, les installations nucléaires, les grands barrages, les transports de matières dangereuses et les sites miniers. Les accidents technologiques majeurs se caractérisent par une faible fréquence et par une gravité importante en termes de victimes et de dommages aux biens et à l’environnement. La France comporte sur son territoire un millier d’établissements dits « Seveso » et 125 installations nucléaires de base. Elle est également traversée par de nombreux convois de transport de matières dangereuses.

Technological risks encompass industrial, nuclear and biological risks. Five major sources of technological risk are present in France: industrial facilities, nuclear installations, large dams, transport of dangerous materials and mining sites. Major technological accidents are characterized by low frequency and significant severity in terms of victims and damage to property and the environment. France has on its territory approximately one thousand facilities known as "Seveso" and 125 nuclear basic installations. It is also crossed by numerous convoys transporting dangerous materials.

3 chapters

Sources and exposure to technological risks
Nature of technological risks
Technological risks encompass in particular risks to health, safety and the environment, as well as industrial, nuclear, chemical risks, induced by human activities. Sources of technological risks include: industrial facilities, nuclear installations, transport of dangerous materials, mining sites (referred to as "post-mining"), large dams.
Exposed municipalities
At the end of 2018, 18,000 municipalities exposed to technological risks are recorded in France. Among these municipalities, 545 (or 3% of municipalities at risk) are affected by at least three technological risks, 3,434 by two types of technological risks. Half of these municipalities are located in the departments of Isère, Pas-de-Calais, Loire, Aube, Gard, Rhône and Bouches-du-Rhône.
Prevention of technological risks
Technological risk prevention plans
Technological risk prevention plans (PPRT) aim to regulate urbanization around facilities classified as Seveso. They were established by the law of July 30, 2003 on the prevention of technological and natural risks and the reparation of damages and its implementing decree of September 7, 2005. Thus, a PPRT must be developed for each facility (or group of facilities) classified as Seveso. 388 PPRTs concerning more than 900 municipalities must be developed. In January 2019, 380 PPRTs are approved, or 98% of the plans.
Technological accidents
Technological accidents assessment (1992-2017)
• Between 1992 and 2017, nearly 40,000 technological accidents occurred in France in industrial installations, livestock facilities, during transport of dangerous materials, on gas or dangerous materials pipelines, on dikes and hydraulic dams, in mines, in quarries and during the use of gas or pressure equipment. • These technological accidents can lead to numerous damages and multiple levels of severity: human consequences (deaths or injuries) in 18% of cases, economic (69%), social (29%), environmental (34%). • Between 1992 and 2017, 16% of technological accidents resulted in pollution of surface or groundwater, 9% in atmospheric pollution, 5% in soil contamination and 4% harmed wildlife or flora.
NaTech accidents
Over the same period, France recorded 1,089 "NaTech" accidents. These accidents result from the impact of a natural disaster on an industrial facility. Floods, extreme temperatures, lightning, ground movements, earthquakes and storms can be the cause of an industrial accident, and harm people, property or the environment outside the industrial site.

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