ATOFINA has started an investment programme over 5 years for the reinforcement of the unit control room and the reduction of risks related to the storage of hazardous products and to loading and unloading operations.

A concrete example of it is the reduction of the inventories of liquid chlorine at the ATOFINA plant in Lavera (13). As soon as 1994, a first operation made it possible to do away with two tanks out of the seven being used; the maximum capacity thus decreasing from 750 to 500 tons with an average quantity stored of 300 tons. In 2002, after the removal of another storage facility and taking into account the fact that another tank was always kept empty for security purposes, the maximum capacity was reduced to 300 tons with an average quantity being used of 60 tons. At the same time, the tanks that were kept and all the linking pipes were checked and made safe, particularly so with a strengthening of their resistance in case of earthquakes, the suppression of pitting at lower levels, the introduction of extra security valves, an automated security programme triggered by the detection of chlorine in the atmosphere and the creation of a double-layer pipe system between the liquifaction unit and the storage facilities.