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In France, industrial zones characterized by numerous and varied industrial activities and related infrastructures (road traffic, urban heating, agriculture, etc.) lead to multiple situations of exposure to risk, raising concerns from communities about the impact on their health. Zone studies began some fifteen years ago, with a view to better understanding the accumulation of emissions within an industrial zone, and to reflect upon the local population’s exposure to these emissions, and with the objective of producing practical management solutions for these populations. Santé publique France published an overview of available zone studies in order to identify elements that could help it implement epidemiological surveillance around industrial basins. The analysis of the zone studies showed that the most frequently found pollutants of concern were 1,3-butadiene, benzene, and arsenic. The toxicological data available, and in particular the critical effects of pollutants of concern, mainly concern the respiratory and upper airways, as well as the hepatic and hematopoietic systems. The results of the studies suggest that industry is not solely responsible for the risks, and that certain related activities, such as road traffic, also contribute to population exposure. The approach adopted makes it possible to draw up an inventory of pollutant sources for each zone, which is not always possible at present, even using existing environmental databases. Potential health risks can then be assessed for the local population, taking into account limitations linked to uncertainty and the availability of data. In the context of epidemiological monitoring, zone studies thus provide concrete information on exposure, and help identify health indicators specific to the industrial activities present.