Control of major-accident hazards involving dangerous substances. Seveso II

The Commission proposal was designed to replace the 'Seveso directive', to reinforce safeguards against major accident hazards involving dangerous substances in certain kinds of industrial activity. The new directive, based on the principles of caution, prevention, remedy at source and 'the polluter pays', had all the essential features of the existing directive, but with additional measures to improve its application, improve the way in which the human factors in major accidents were managed and introduce controls on land use. To that end the proposal: - required operators of the establishments concerned to produce safety reports, including a section specifically on the systems for managing and organising the establishment; operators would have to update their management systems afresh each time significant modifications were made; - provided for the preparation of emergency plans: in-house plans to be drawn up by the operator and external plans by an authority designated by the Member State; - introduced regional planning measures to keep residential areas and those of particular natural interest at a suitable distance from sources of major accident hazards; - removed the distinction between manufacture and storage in hazard prevention; - improved information to the public who would have access to the safety report and could take part in procedures and debates on policy for the management of major accidents, the siting of industrial establishments and use of land. �