Seveso III Directive
Moving from Seveso II to Seveso III
Background to Seveso Directive
1. Seveso I adopted in 1982 to control major accident hazards
2. Current COMAH Regs 1999 and planning legislation implement
Seveso II
3. Seveso III necessary as CHIP being replaced by CLP by 2015
4. Overall purpose & approach to stay the same
– Identification of sites, controls and mitigation
5. European Commission also took opportunity to modernise the
Directive
– Public info
– Access to justice
– Public participation
– Inspections
Current situation
1. Seveso III adopted on 4th July 2012
http://ec.europa.eu/environment/seveso/index.htm
2. New COMAH Regs to be in force from 1June 2015
3. Heavy fuel oil - amendment to current COMAH
Regs from 15 Feb 2014
4. Main areas of change:
•
•
•
•
Scope
Public information
Inspection
Lack of correction system for substances moving in
or out of scope
Scope
1. Early indications – only a small
movement of sites coming into/going out
of scope
2. Helpful amendments on named
substances
3. Determining whether the Directive
applies will be more complex
Toxicity - Seveso III alignment
EU
T+
Oral
mg/kg
1
Dermal
mg/kg
1
Inhalaton vapour
mg/l
1
Inhalation aerosol
mg/l
Inhalation gas
ppmV
1
1
T
Xn
2
3
4
2
3
4
2
2
?
3
3
2
4
4
?
3
4
Public information
1. More requirements than before
2. Public info on safety measures for all
establishments (not just top tier as
present)
3. Extra provisions for top tier re safety
reports
4. Available electronically and kept up to
date
Public information
1. Culture shift!
2. Confidentiality & security issues
3. Access to justice – difficult issue
Inspections
1. Will maintain current system - frequency
of site visits based on risk/hazard profile
2. Relevant findings of inspections under
other EU legislation to be taken into
account in hazard/risk assessment of sites
3. Inspections where poss to be coordinated
with other EU legislation inspections
Other key issues
1. Notifications
2. Safety reports
3. Emergency plans
4. Transitional arrangements
Timetable
1. Now – end of 2013 –informal consultation
with industry and stakeholders
2. Early 2014 – formal consultation; heavy
fuel oils amendment to COMAH Regs
1999
3. Early 2015 – lay Regulations &
publication of guidance
4. 1 June 2015 – new COMAH Regs enter
into force
Sources of information
1. Seveso website www.hse.gov.uk/seveso/
revised and will continue to be updated.
Current features include;
- information about Seveso III
- implications for business
- FAQs
2. Seveso ebulletin
http://www.hse.gov.uk/seveso/ebulletin.htm
3. Guidance
http://www.hse.gov.uk/comah/index.htm
Questions & discussion
If any questions are raised which cannot be
answered they can be sent by e-mail to
Seveso.III.Enquiries@hse.gsi.gov.uk or by
post to HSE, Hazardous Installations
Directorate, Chemical Industries Policy, 5S2
Redgrave Court, Merton Road, Bootle,
Merseyside L20 7HS