1. European Commission, DG Environment Air & Industrial Emissions Unit
Seveso Directive on the control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances Implementation
European Commission, DG Environment
Air & Industrial Emissions Unit

2. Fundamentals of Seveso
Objective = prevention of major accidents and limitation of their consequences.
Scope = based on quantity of dangerous substances present =› categories of substances under certain EU hazard classifications
2-tier approach - Requirements proportionate to the risk (tonnage thresholds) – Upper tier and lower tier establishments
3-Yearly reports by Member States 2

3. Fundamentals of Seveso
Prevention of major accidents Safety Management = task of the operator Inspections = task of inspection authorities Limitation of the consequences on man and the environment Disaster Management – Internal and external emergency planning - Information = task of operator and public authorities

4. Number of establishments
Total
upper-tier
increase upper-tier
lower-tier
2011
10314
4791 (46%) 6%
5523 (54%)
2008
4528
15%
No data
2005
3949 7%

5. Number of establishments
DE has about 25% of all Seveso establishments
FR, IT and UK have about 10% each
FI has most per mio inhabitants - 49 per million followed by LU and SE
MT has the highest concentration - 34 per 1000 km2, followed by BE, NL, LU and DE
19 Member States have fewer than 3 Seveso establishments per 1000 km2.

6. Most relevant industry sectors
50% of all establishments are active in
o Fuel storage (including heating, retail sale..)
o Production of general chemicals and of basic organic chemicals
o Power generation, supply and distribution
o LPG production, bottling, storage and bulk distribution
o Wholesale and retail storage and distribution (excluding LPG)

7. Safety reports and internal emergency plans (upper-tier)
% of operators having submitted a safety report
% of operators having drawn up internal emergency plans
2011
98%
99%
2008
2005
94%

8. External emergency plans (EEPs)(upper-tier)
EEPs have to be established by the competent authorities. They have to be reviewed and tested at intervals of no longer than three years
% of establishments for which EEPs are drawn up
% of EEPs tested
93%
73%
91%
60%
68%
40%

9. Information to the public (upper-tier)
Information on safety measures and requisite behaviour in the event of an accident has to be supplied regularly to persons liable to be affected by a major accident.

10. Information to the public
% of establishments for which information was received by the public
2012
87%
2008
80%
2005
72%

11. Inspections % of upper-tier inspected % of lower-tier inspected 2011
% of upper-tier inspected
% of lower-tier inspected
2011
66%
43%
2008
No data reported
2005
69%

12. Use of coercive instruments
In , coercive instruments have been applied in 5895 cases
Most used instruments: formal notice, written orders, compliance orders and administrative fines
38 cases of prohibition of use of the establishment
No criminal proceedings reported

13. Accident statistics (eMARS)
On average, 27 major accidents are reported per year. This means a relative reduction, considering the increase in the number of Seveso sites
Major accidents
Involving toxic substances
Involving extremely flammable substances
Involving very toxic substances
Upper
tier
Lower
Tier not known
224 43 54 91 80 53

14. Accident statistics (eMARS)
Most reported incidents are major 'Seveso' accidents (321)
Near misses/other events are less reported (35)
Since 2006, no off-site fatalities reported
Number of fatalities caused by major accidents
Number of injuries caused by major accidents
2010 9 23
2000 27
126

15. Accident statistics (eMARS)
Six activity types contributed to › 10 events
Activity Type
Total number of establishments %
Total events
Frequency
Plastic and rubber manufacture
368
3.8 10
2.8
0.7
Production and storage of pesticides, biocides, fungicides
267 13
3.6
1.3
Wholesale and retail storage and distribution (excluding LPG)
877
9.2 18 5
0.5
Processing of metals 78
0.8 21
5.9 7
Petrochemical / Oil Refineries
238
2.5 72 20 8
General chemicals manufacture (not included above)
591
6.2
101 28
4.5
Other activity
276
2.9 34
9.5
3.2

16. For more information… DG ENV website
Contact: Jill Michielssen