Le transport de matières dangereuses

The GASPAR database managed by the ministry responsible for ecology identifies 15,300 French municipalities subject to the risk related to the transport of hazardous materials. However, this census is not exhaustive in certain departments.

The most exposed territories include major road and highway networks and are located along river corridors: Rhine, Rhône, Seine, Moselle, Scheldt. Some departments have chosen to classify virtually all their municipalities as being at risk for hazardous materials transport.

According to the ARIA database of the Bureau of Analysis of Industrial Risks and Pollution (BARPI), 4,041 accidents occurring during the transport of hazardous materials (excluding radioactive materials) are recorded between 1992 and 2017. Accidents involving the transport of hazardous materials occur predominantly on roads (71%). 20% involve rail transport, 5% by sea, and 4% by inland waterway. However, road is the most commonly used method for transporting hazardous materials, which explains the high frequency of accidents. In 2017, road traffic accidents resulted in product losses in two-thirds of cases, fires in 20% of cases, and explosions in 2% of cases.

• To prevent and reduce the number of accidents involving hazardous materials, the transport of hazardous materials is subject to European and international regulations. • Prevention of hazardous materials transport accidents is based on compliance with regulations, training of persons responsible for transporting hazardous materials, appointment of a safety adviser in all companies loading or transporting hazardous materials, and preventive public information. • The TMD (dangerous goods transport) regulations aim to prevent risks to people, property, and the environment, in addition to other regulations such as those protecting workers or consumers. • According to Article L551-2 of the Environmental Code, the main infrastructure facilities for parking, loading, or unloading hazardous materials (examples: road or highway rest areas, railway sorting yards or marshalling sidings, inland ports, maritime ports, multimodal platforms combining two or more of these transport infrastructure facilities) must be subject to a Hazard Study.

• The transport of hazardous materials is regulated by various texts listed below: • Air: Rules of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) and rules concerning the transport of dangerous goods of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO). • Road: European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Road known as ADR. Order TMD of May 29, 2009 as amended concerning the transport of dangerous goods by land routes. • Rail: Regulation concerning the International Railway Transport of Dangerous Goods known as RID. Order TMD of May 29, 2009 as amended concerning the transport of dangerous goods by land routes. • Inland waterway: European Agreement concerning the International Carriage of Dangerous Goods by Inland Navigation (ADN). ADNR: Regulation for the transport of dangerous goods on the Rhine. ADNR Order of December 5, 2002. • Maritime: SOLAS 74 Conventions (Maritime Safety Committee) and MARPOL 73/78 (Marine Environment Protection Committee). Rules of the International Maritime Organization (IMO). Regulation for the transport and handling of dangerous goods in maritime ports known as RPM. Division 411 - Sea transport of packaged dangerous goods. Division 423 - Dangerous solid bulk cargoes.

In 2010, the legislature introduced the requirement for road, rail, port, inland navigation, or multimodal infrastructure facilities that could present serious dangers to public safety to conduct a hazard study. 52 facilities are concerned: 22 road parking areas, 4 railway sorting yards, 4 inland ports, 21 maritime ports, and 1 multimodal platform. The review of these studies results in an equal number of prefectural orders prescribing risk reduction measures.