Lessons from History. How Should Countries Prepare to Deal With Industrial Disasters?

[This document is one of a series of discussion notes addressing fundamental questions about global health. Its purpose is to transfer scientific knowledge into the public conversation and the decision-making process. These documents are based on the best information available and may be updated as new information comes to light.]

Industrial disasters, in which a hazardous substance is released or leaks from an industrial source, can result in the deaths of many people and affect public health for years after the event. This is what happened in Bhopal in 1984, or during the attack on the Twin Towers in New York in 2001, when fires burned for months, creating a toxic cloud inhaled by tens of thousands of people.

Although we have experienced major industrial disasters, we are still not sufficiently prepared for them. Estimates suggest that their frequency could increase in the future. Regulations and conventions exist, but they are either outdated and fail to incorporate lessons learned from recent accidents, or they are not adequately enforced, even when legally binding, as is the case in some European Union countries.

In Spain, for example, according to the latest available data (2015-2018), 50% of establishments handling hazardous substances had not reviewed their emergency plans, and 36% of high-risk establishments had not published basic information about their activities or emergency plans, as required by regulations.

In this ISGlobal analysis document, Elizabeth Diago-Navarro, Clara Marín-Carballo and Roberto G Lucchini examine an area where insufficient action is being taken to protect the public, and propose practical recommendations to prevent future disasters.

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