Hazardous Materials Incidents - General Information
From industrial chemicals and toxic waste to household detergents and air fresheners, hazardous materials are part of our everyday lives. Hazardous materials are substances, which because of their chemical, physical, or biological nature, pose a potential risk to life, health, or property if they are handled improperly.

Chemical plants are one source of hazardous materials, but there are many others. Service stations store gasoline and diesel fuel, hospitals use a wide range of radioactive and flammable materials, and hazardous materials waste sites process thousands of different materials every day.

Accidents involving hazardous materials can happen anytime, and range from a chemical spill on a highway, to groundwater contamination by naturally occurring methane gas, to ingesting a household cleaner at home. Hazardous materials incidents are accidents which affect a large number of people. While fairly uncommon, these incidents can happen anytime, anywhere.

For more information about hazardous materials incidents and their likelihood in Irvine, call the Emergency Management Office at 949-724-7235.