The indicator identifies the number of establishments, by regional and provincial level, divided by category, based on the requirements established by the legislation to which establishment operators are subject. As of June 30, 2026, the total number of establishments considered hazardous for the purposes of a major accident in Italy was 972. Compared to December 2025, when the number of establishments was 971, there was an increase (1 more). Regarding the distribution of notified establishments across the country, the situation remains virtually unchanged, with approximately a quarter concentrated in Lombardy and in regions with a high presence of industries such as Veneto, Piedmont, and Emilia-Romagna. Almost all Italian provinces have at least one establishment at risk of a major accident.

The indicator analyzes the distribution of all industrial activities across the country according to the categories defined in Legislative Decree 105/2015 for establishments at risk of major accidents. The analysis of establishment types allows us to define, albeit qualitatively, a mapping of industrial risk in our country. The legislation divides establishments into 38 activity categories plus a thirty-ninth category (other) comprising all activities not included in the previous ones, based on the NACE code. As of 30 June 2026, there are 972 establishments at risk of a major accident, one more than in December 2025. As regards the type of activities present on the national territory, in 1st place there is a prevalence of "(14) LPG storage" depots, in 2nd place "(22) chemical plants", in 3rd place the so-called "(39) Other activities, not specified", in 4th place the establishments of "(13) production, bottling and wholesale distribution of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)" and in 5th place the depots of "(10) Storage of fuels (also for heating, retail sale etc.)". Together these constitute approximately 50% of the total establishments.

The indicator analyzes the type of substances or categories of hazardous substances/mixtures most widespread in establishments at risk of major accidents, present throughout Italy and declared by the managers of establishments subject to Legislative Decree 105/2015. Among the categories of hazardous substances (Annex 1 - Part 1 of Legislative Decree 105/2015) most widespread in quantitative terms, are those belonging to Section "P" - Physical hazards, in particular flammable liquids. Environmentally hazardous substances falling into the hazard category "E" - Environmental hazards are also very widespread. The regions with the highest presence of hazardous substances are Sicily, followed by Sardinia, Lombardy, and Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The region with the highest quantities of flammable substances is Lombardy, followed by Emilia-Romagna, Abruzzo, and Sicily. There is a significant presence, distributed throughout Italy, of flammable liquefied gases and natural gases (LPG and methane) and petroleum products.

The indicator identifies areas with a particular concentration of establishments at risk of major accidents, providing useful information for territorial planning, particularly for land use and allocation. In 2026, there were 30 municipalities with four or more RIR (Risk of Major Accident) establishments, distributed across 13 regions: they host approximately a quarter of all establishments at risk of major accidents in Italy. The regions with the highest number of these municipalities are: Lombardy (5), Sicily (4), Lazio (4), and Piedmont (4). Among the municipalities characterized by a high number of establishments, Ravenna stands out with 29, Genoa with 13, followed by Trecate, Venice, Catania, Naples, and Filago with nine, Augusta, Anagni, Brindisi, and Livorno with seven each.

The European strategy Farm to Fork sets two objectives to be achieved by 2030, which consist of reducing the use and risk of chemical pesticides by 50% and reducing the use of the most dangerous pesticides by 50%. In order to measure the progress made towards these objectives, two indicators have been defined based on the sales of active substances contained in plant protection products and on the dangerous properties of these substances. The indicators described represent the European and national trend of progress towards the pesticide reduction objectives of the strategy Farm to Fork.  In 2023, the use and risk of chemical pesticides, both at European and national level, will be reduced, compared to the reference period 2015-2017, beyond the set target, with decreases corresponding to 58% and 64% respectively. As regards the use of the most dangerous pesticides, however, the trend towards the objective of 50% reduction is slower, in fact in 2023 the European reduction will reach 27%, that of Italy 29%.

Over the last hundred years, global production of chemicals has increased exponentially, going from 1 million tons in 1930 to several hundred million tons today. The European Union (EU) is the world's second largest producer after China and it is estimated that there are more than 100,000 chemicals on the European market. Italy, with a production value of over 65 billion euros, is the third European producer, after Germany and France, and the tenth globally. There are approximately 2,800 chemical companies active in Italy and they employ over 113,000 people, but the use of chemical products affects all production sectors. European regulation of chemicals is probably the most ambitious in the world, its aim is to ensure a high level of protection of human health and the environment. The main reference standards are the REACH Regulation ( Registration, Evaluation, Authorization and Restriction of Chemicals ) and the CLP Regulation ( Classification, Labeling and Packaging ). Safety in the management of chemical substances is primarily the responsibility of the companies that produce, import or use them. ECHA ( European Chemicals Agency ) and the competent authorities of the EU Member States carry out a control activity on the obligations of companies and can intervene with specific measures if it is demonstrated that the risk of the substances for humans and the environment is not adequately controlled. The indicator, through the monitoring of regulatory processes, provides the elements to evaluate progress in achieving the safety objectives established by the legislation.

The indicator allows for the assessment of surface and groundwater contamination by pesticide residues released into the environment. Monitoring pesticide presence in water is complex due to the number of substances involved and their diffuse use. Measured levels are compared with the concentration limits established by current regulations. The presented indicators provide an analysis of the evolution of contamination over the 2012–2021 decade, in terms of the frequency of pesticide detection in water, as well as the environmental risks arising from their use. Data from 2021 confirm a state of contamination already reported in previous years, with exceedances of legal limits particularly in surface waters (28.3% of monitoring points); in groundwater, 6.8% of points exceed regulatory limits.