The standardization of environmental information led the Piemonte Region to manage industrial data, as required by the EC Seveso Directive, through an Assessment Risk Informative System (SIAR). SIAR aims at preventing accidents involving dangerous substances and limit their consequences for citizens and environment. Moreover the data collected is distributed by the Regional Focal Point of the environmental National informative system network (PFR SINANet). The PFR is a cooperation network which involves all the regional departments and supports the sharing of information at national and European level in order to enhance the re-use of environmental data in several crucial policy areas linked to territorial management.
Policy Context
SIAR-PFR operates in the framework of the environmental policy implemented at EU and national level. The Seveso Directives (82/501/EEC called Seveso I, replaced by Seveso II Directive 6/82/EC, then amended by Seveso III Directive 105/2003/EC) aims at ensuring high levels of protection against accidents involving dangerous substances. Plant operators are required to send a notification to the competent authority, reporting the quantities of hazardous substances involved, describing processes, possible accidents and safety measures taken to prevent them. On the other hand, the competent authority must ensure that the submitted safety reports are accurate and complete and organize a system of inspections, in order to audit that safety measures are reasonable. Besides, public administrations have to draw up external emergency plans and ensure that their land-use policies take into account the need to maintain appropriate distances between establishments covered by the Seveso Directive and residential areas, areas of public use and areas of particular natural sensitivity or interest. The Italian regulation on Seveso plants (D.P.R. 175/1988, then D. Lgs. 334/1999 as amended by the D. Lgs. 238/2005, and other specific acts) results complex and articulated, because different public administrations are involved, with different responsibilities. In this context, in order to support competent authorities in their risk management related decision making processes and land-use policies, Piemonte adopted a Regional Law in 1992 that stated the implementation of a specific information system and began to develop it since 1993. Besides, the system contributes to the creation of a harmonised framework related to use and re-use of public sector information as expressed in Directive 2003/98/EC, and Decision no 456/2005/EC dealing with “programme to make digital content more accessible, usable and exploitable†and in 2003/4/CE Directive on public access to environmental information.
Description of target users and groups
The Piemonte business sector, citizens (who have the possibility to access available information on environment, natural resources and pollution), ministries, fire brigades, environmental agencies and 1,212 Local Public Administrations (provinces and Municipalities) are the beneficiaries.
Description of the way to implement the initiative
The Italian decentralization process (started in 1997) has transferred to Regions and Local Bodies legislation power and administrative tasks concerning urban and land planning and use, territorial resources management, civil and land protection, public works and infrastructures, environment protection, and agriculture. Piemonte is positioned at the forefront of territorial management services, especially due to the high level of geographical data integration empowered by the cooperation among all government entities.
Main results, benefits and impacts
The system constitutes the only experience at national level, reliable, flexible and easily transferable to other Member States. It takes into account the Seveso Directive requirements and in particular it concerns: management of administrative and technical data about establishments; checking of law performances; inspection definition; visualization on geographic support of establishments, damage area and vulnerable elements. Besides it represents a tool for land knowledge and readability, allowing to find out and analyze main critical situations at the Regione Piemonte in Seveso matters (for example, typology of vulnerabilities present near establishments, localization of plants in urban centre, typology of substances present, etc.). Thanks to the Geographic Information System component, plants can be represented in their geographical context, together with more sensitive elements, like rivers, routes, railways, schools, hospitals, department stores and other locations accessed by the public. The system makes it possible to perform queries on data, both geographical and alphanumerical. Even if it has been developed specifically for major accidents in plants, the system also makes it possible to collect and evaluate information regarding technological risk from a wider point of view. The system constitutes a first step in the process of digitizing of the Public Administration, particularly aiming at integrating the management of environmental problems related to the business activities. Besides, through the PFR tools, it enables to share information and data between the different authorities involved, making it easier to collaborate and have an integrated management of environmental problems related to the productive activities.
Return on investment
Return on investment: Not applicable / Not availableTrack record of sharing
SIAR has influenced at national level in two other intitiatives: - the APAT system (Agency for the environment and technical services) - the environment system of Emilia Romagna
Lessons learnt
Lesson 1 - The need of cooperation among different public authorities. Lesson 2 - The need of cooperation and interaction with the private sector.
Scope: Regional (sub-national)