Les transports de matières dangereuses

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 hazardous 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 approximately one thousand so-called "Seveso" establishments and 125 basic nuclear installations on its territory. It is also traversed by numerous convoys transporting hazardous materials.

3 chapters

Sources of technological risks and exposed municipalities
Nature of technological risks
Technological risks particularly encompass health, safety and environmental risks, as well as industrial, nuclear, chemical risks induced by human activities. Sources of technological risks include: industrial facilities, nuclear installations, transport of hazardous materials, mining sites (referred to as "post-mining"), large dams.
Exposed municipalities
At the end of 2018, 18,000 municipalities exposed to technological risks were recorded in France. Among these municipalities, 545 (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.
Technological risk prevention plans
Legal framework of PPRT
Technological risk prevention plans (PPRT) are designed to regulate urbanization around Seveso-classified establishments. They were established by the law of 30 July 2003 on the prevention of technological and natural risks and the reparation of damages and its implementing decree of 7 September 2005. Thus, a PPRT must be prepared for each Seveso-classified establishment (or group of establishments).
PPRT progress status
388 PPRTs affecting more than 900 municipalities need to be developed. As of January 2019, 380 PPRTs are approved, representing 98% of the plans.
Technological accidents and NaTech
Technological accidents record
Between 1992 and 2017, nearly 40,000 technological accidents occurred in France in industrial facilities, livestock operations, during transport of hazardous materials, on gas or hazardous material pipelines, on dikes and hydraulic dams, in mines, in quarries and during the use of gas or pressure equipment.
Consequences of accidents
These technological accidents can lead to numerous damages with multiple severity levels: 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 water 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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