TAKING HAZARDOUS SPILLS

The Orange County Hazardous Materials Team, administered by the county Health Care Agency division of environmental health, responds to calls on chemical spills and other incidents involving hazardous materials. Sometimes it goes to the site, other times it advises citizens or local fire departments over the phone.

Of 17 local fire departments in Orange County (16 city departments plus the county), three have hazardous materials units that cover the county through mutual aid agreements-- Anaheim, Huntington Beach and the county station in Irvine. HAZMAT is called in most, but not all, incidents. Following is HAZMAT’s spill response log for December.

Date:: Dec. 1 Location of Incident: 17561 MacArthur Blvd., Irvine Material Handler: Chevron (same address) Materials Involved: Gasoline Date:: Dec. 3 Location of Incident:: Pacific Coast Highway at Superior Avenue, Newport Beach Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown acid Date: Dec. 6 Location of Incident: 500 W. Imperial Highway, Brea Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown Date: Dec. 6 Location of Incident: 2601 E. Imperial Highway, Brea Material Handler: Unocal (same address) Materials Involved: Ammonia leak to air Date: Dec. 7 Location of Incident: 17101 Nichols St., Huntington Beach Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Ammonia Date: Dec. 8 Location of Incident: 611 Lunar Ave., Brea (storm drain) Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown green liquid Date: Dec. 9 Location of Incident: 2890 E. Mira Loma, Anaheim Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown leaking drums Date: Dec. 12 Location of Incident: 2201 E. Cerritos Ave., Anaheim Material Handler: Neville Chemical Co. (same address) Materials Involved: Petroleum naphtha Date: Dec. 14 Location of Incident: Kraemer Boulevard, north of Imperial Highway, Brea Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Urea and ammonium nitrate solution Date: Dec. 20 Location of Incident: Arches Marina, Pacific Coast Highway at Newport Boulevard, Newport Beach Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Waste oil or fuel oil dumped in bay water Date: Dec. 20 Location of Incident: 2687 E. Saturn St., Brea Material Handler: Chem-Atoms Corp. (same address) Materials Involved: Detergent-like substance Date: Dec. 22 Location of Incident: Dana Point Harbor Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Water-base paint Date: Dec. 23 Location of Incident: 12651 8th St., Garden Grove (house) Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Believed to be propane with mercaptan added for odor Date: Dec. 24 Location of Incident: Springdale Street and Warner Avenue, Huntington Beach (ARCO station) Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Photo developer Date: Dec. 27 Location of Incident: Alton Parkway and Jamboree Boulevard, Irvine (storm channel) Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown unhalogenated hydrocarbon Date: Dec. 31 Location of Incident: Atlanta Avenue and Bastia Lane, Huntington Beach Material Handler: Triple A Animal Hospital, 21632 Newland St., H.B. Materials Involved: Infectious waste Source: Orange County Health Care Agency, environmental health division