Francesca Pepe, Fabrizio Vazzana
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 data available for this indicator are the number of establishments, by regional and provincial level, divided by category, based on the requirements established by the legislation to which establishment managers are subject. Legislative Decree No. 105 of 26 June 2015, in accordance with European Directive 2012/18/EU on the control of major-accident hazards involving the possession of dangerous substances, identifies, based on the nature and quantity of dangerous substances, two different categories of industries with major-accident hazards, associating specific obligations with each of them. In particular, Article 3, paragraph 1 of Legislative Decree 105/15 identifies the following categories of establishments: - “Lower-tier establishment”: an establishment in which hazardous substances are present in quantities equal to or greater than the quantities listed in column 2 of Part 1 or in column 2 of Part 2 of Annex 1, but in quantities lower than the quantities listed in column 3 of Part 1, or in column 3 of Part 2 of Annex 1, applying, where applicable, the summation rule set out in note 4 of Annex 1; - “Upper-tier establishment”: an establishment in which hazardous substances are present in quantities equal to or greater than the quantities listed in column 3 of Part 1 or in column 3 of Part 2 of Annex 1, applying, where applicable, the summation rule set out in note 4 of Annex 1. Operators of establishments that meet these characteristics must fulfill specific obligations, including preparing technical and information documentation, which varies according to the category, content and recipients. Specifically, it is mandatory to submit to the competent authorities, including ISPRA, the information referred to in the form in Annex 5 of Legislative Decree 105/2015, prepare a "Major Accident Prevention Policy Document" and adopt a Safety Management System commensurate with the hazards and complexity of the company and the processes employed (SGS-PIR). The SGS-PIR is mandatory by law, the only case among all other management systems. For higher-tier establishments, the operator is required to prepare a "Safety Report" to be sent to the competent authority responsible for its assessment (Regional Technical Committees of the Fire Brigade).
Provide an overview of the pressures exerted by establishments at risk of major accidents on the territory.
Legislative Decree 105/2015, art. 5, paragraph 3, Preparation of the National Inventory of Establishments Potential to Cause Major Accidents.
None
none
ISPRA (Higher Institute for Environmental Protection and Research) MASE (Ministry of the Environment and Energy Security)
All information comes from the National Inventory of Establishments Likely to Cause Major Accidents, which ISPRA prepares and updates on behalf of MASE.
https://www.rischioindustriale.isprambiente.gov.it/seveso-query-105/Def…
National, Regional, Provincial
2023-2026
Number of establishments
All information is taken from the National Inventory of Establishments Potentially Causing Major Accidents, as required by Article 5, paragraph 3 of Legislative Decree 105/2015. The inventory allows for the extraction of an Excel file that, after various steps, allows for the extraction of the data needed to update the indicator.
As of June 30, 2026, the total number of establishments considered hazardous for the purposes of a major accident in Italy is 972, compared to December 2025.
Compared to the previous year, there are no significant changes considering the trend over the years, although there has been an increase in the number and type of industries subject to the obligations imposed by the "Seveso" legislation.
| Allegati |
|---|
Titolo
Table 1: Provincial distribution of establishments at risk of major accidents (06/30/2026) Fonte
ISPRA, National Inventory of Establishments at Risk of Major Accidents |
Thumbnail
Titolo
Figure 1: Provincial distribution of establishments at risk of major accidents by threshold Fonte
ISPRA, National Inventory of Establishments at Risk of Major Accidents |
Thumbnail
Titolo
Figure 2: Provincial distribution of establishments at risk of major accidents (total) Fonte
ISPRA, National Inventory of Establishments at Risk of Major Accidents |
Table 1 summarizes the national distribution of establishments subject to Legislative Decree 105/2015, belonging to the various categories (upper and lower threshold) and therefore to the obligations set forth in Articles 13 and 15, divided by province and region. Regarding the national distribution of notified establishments, approximately a quarter are concentrated in Lombardy. Regions with a high presence of at-risk industries also include: Veneto, Emilia-Romagna, and Piedmont (all in the North and with 8-9% each). Particular concentrations of industries can be noted in areas coinciding mostly with petrochemical (formerly Enichem) and refining hubs such as Trecate (in the Novara area), Porto Marghera, Ferrara and Ravenna in the North, Gela (CL), Augusta-Priolo-Melilli-(Syracuse), and Sarroch (CA). Significant concentrations of industries are also found in industrial areas in the provinces of Milan, Bergamo, Brescia, Naples, Venice, Pavia, Alessandria, and Vicenza. Recently, due to the global economic and industrial crisis, and the petrochemical industry in particular, some of these areas have been partially abandoned or are undergoing industrial transformation (where petroleum chemistry is being replaced by green chemistry). In almost all Italian provinces there is at least one establishment at risk of a major accident, and those with a high number of establishments are: - in the North: Milan (59 establishments), Bergamo (40), Ravenna (39), Brescia (36), Venice (21), Turin (21), Pavia (21), Alessandria (22), Vicenza (21), Novara (20), Udine (20), Lodi (20), Monza and Brianza (17), Varese (17), Bologna (16), Genoa (16), Verona (18), Cremona (13), Padua (12), Ferrara (12), Mantua (10). In the Centre: Rome (19), Frosinone (17), Livorno (13), Latina (10), Florence (9). In the South and Islands: Naples (35), Salerno (18), Syracuse (14), Caserta (13), Cagliari (11), Catania (13).