Les risques industriels

Commissariat général au développement durableMay 29, 2019

Toute exploitation industrielle susceptible de créer des risques ou de provoquer des pollutions ou nuisances, notamment pour la sécurité et la santé des riverains, est une installation classée pour la protection de l’Environnement (ICPE). Au sein des ICPE, les établissements Seveso constituent les installations les plus dangereuses. En 2017, la France compte 1297 établissements Seveso répartis sur 857 communes. La loi du 30 juillet 2003 relative à la prévention des risques technologiques et naturels et la réparation des dommages instaure la mise en place de plans de prévention des risques technologiques (PPRT). En février 2019, 380 PPRT sont approuvés.

Any industrial operation likely to create risks or cause pollution or nuisances, particularly for the safety and health of local residents, is a classified installation for environmental protection (ICPE). Among ICPEs, Seveso facilities constitute the most dangerous installations. In 2017, France has 1,297 Seveso facilities distributed across 857 municipalities. The law of 30 July 2003 on the prevention of technological and natural risks and the compensation of damages establishes the implementation of Technological Risk Prevention Plans (PPRT). As of February 2019, 380 PPRTs are approved.

2 chapters

Distribution of Seveso facilities across the territory
Seveso Directive
• The first Seveso Directive was published in 1982. Strengthened in 1996, it was updated again in 2012. The Seveso III Directive of 4 July 2012 defines two categories of at-risk facilities (high threshold and low threshold) based on the quantity of hazardous substances stored or used. Entering into force on 1 June 2015, this update to Seveso II Directive reinforces provisions concerning affected facilities. • Among additional measures compared to the previous text, the operator is required to review every four years all hazardous substances, preparations or mixtures likely to be present in their installations. They maintain this inventory regularly. This is established from the nomenclature of classified installations, which was updated following the publication of the Directive. The operator must prepare a hazard study and define a major accident prevention policy, which they update every five years. The operator implements a safety management system and develops an internal emergency plan to contain and control incidents and implement measures necessary to protect public health and the environment against the effects of major accidents.
Facility Classification
Seveso facilities are classified as industrial installations for environmental protection. They are divided into 'low threshold' and 'high threshold' categories, representing the most dangerous installations as they can cause major accidents. Classification into either category depends on the type of activity and quantities of dangerous materials used or stored in industrial facilities.
Site Location
Seveso sites are generally located in industrial zones of major urban areas, along rivers (Rhone, Seine and Rhine valleys) or near major road networks. Seveso facilities consist mainly of petroleum industries (refineries, fuel storage), gas industries, pharmaceutical and chemical industries, hazardous product warehouses, silos, explosives deposits or manufacturers, fertiliser deposits (non-exhaustive list).
Prevention of industrial risks
PPRT Objectives
• The law of 30 July 2003 on the prevention of technological and natural risks and the compensation of damages establishes the implementation of Technological Risk Prevention Plans (PPRT) around high-threshold Seveso facilities. The objectives of PPRT are twofold: • manage difficult urban planning situations inherited from the past by strengthening existing buildings or implementing land-use measures; • regulate future urban development around the facilities concerned.
PPRT Development
Developed by State services (Prefects, Regional Environmental, Planning and Housing Directorate, Departmental Land Directorates, Departmental Population Protection Directorates), these tools for controlling urbanization around high-threshold Seveso sites were introduced into the Environmental Code following the AZF plant accident in Toulouse on 21 September 2001.
Plan Progress Status
• 388 PPRTs covering more than 900 municipalities must be developed across the national territory. This number is directly linked to the number of high-threshold Seveso facilities. Some PPRTs may however concern several facilities when they are close together, to account for their cumulative effects and manage preventive information to residents collectively. As of February 2019, 380 PPRTs are approved (98% of plans), meaning they have been developed.

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