The chemical risk management process in Italy. A case study: the Seveso accident

This paper describes, by means of a unique case study, i.e. the ICMESA accident at Seveso, the process of chemical risk management in Italy under emergency conditions which involved more than 200,000 people and about 1800 ha of a densely populated area. The paper also deals with the aims, the results, and the organizational aspects of the medium- and long-term activities that were carried out to rehabilitate the affected ecological and social systems. Problems of co-ordination at different levels (national, regional, provincial and local), as well as of interaction of decision-makers with scientific and technical experts and local staff responsible for action, have also been addressed.