Interactive map of SEVESO sites at risk in France
Un spectaculaire incendie était toujours en cours jeudi 26 septembre 2019 au matin dans une usine Lubrizol classée SEVESO à Rouen qui n’a pas fait de victime. La préfecture a pris d’importantes mesures de protection des habitants. In the wake of this major event, here’s a quick update on SEVESO sites in France and the information available to the public.
What does “SEVESO” mean?
SEVESO sites are classified according to two risk levels, high threshold and low threshold. These thresholds are defined according to the quantity of hazardous materials present. “SEVESO” is a set of European directives named after the Italian municipality hit by an accidental release of dioxin in 1975. This scandal has left its mark on the industry.
Implemented in 1982, this directive is regularly updated. At present, the SEVESO 3 Directive (which came into force on 01/06/2015) makes it possible to adapt to the new CLP Regulation (Regulation on the classification, labelling and packaging of substances and mixtures), and reminds us that waste must be taken into account when classifying facilities (source: http://seveso3.fr).
Generally speaking, the SEVESO directive requires a certain amount of data to be notified on the internet. They include the nature of the substances stored and the associated risks, the contact details of the people in charge of emergency plans, the behaviour to adopt in the event of an emergency, the date of the last inspection and where to consult the inspection report. The national website of the Classified Installations Inspectorate is the main official source of publicly accessible information on this subject.
Access the interactive map of the 1,300 SEVESO sites in France
Of these sites, 744 are classified as “SEVESO high threshold” and a further 635 as “SEVESO low threshold“. The difference in classification depends on the type and quantity of hazardous products present on the classified site.
SEVESO plants in France include oil depots, refineries, chemical and petrochemical plants and explosives depots.
