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 September.

Date: Sept. 1 Location of Incident: Corner Bryant Avenue & Newport Boulevard, Tustin Material Handler: Terminix Materials Involved: Dursban Diazinon Date: Sept. 6 Location of Incident: Corner of Grand & McFadden avenues, Santa Ana Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Dye Date: Sept. 7 Location of Incident: Corner of Elm and Helena streets, Anaheim Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Wet cement Date: Sept. 7 Location of Incident: Corner Silliker Avenue and Hacienda Boulevard, La Habra Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Yellow and white powder Date: Sept. 7 Location of Incident: La Habra Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Acetic acid (car battery) Date: Sept. 7 Location of Incident: Target Store, 1881 W. Lincoln Ave., Anaheim Material Handler: Target store Materials Involved: Malathion Date: Sept. 8 Location of Incident: Winonics, 1257 S. State College Blvd., Fullerton Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown discharge from Winonics to street. Date: Sept. 11 Location of Incident: Johnson Controls, 1550 E. Kimberly Ave., Fullerton Material Handler: Johnson Controls Materials Involved: Lead oxide powder Date: Sept. 15 Location of Incident: Corner of Canyon Drive and Nancy Lane, Costa Mesa Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown Date: Sept. 15 Location of Incident: 9746 Westminster Ave., Garden Grove Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown Date: Sept. 18 Location of Incident: Hancock Street between Hunter and La Palma avenues, Anaheim Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Algicide Date: Sept. 19 Location of Incident: Northbound Orange Freeway at Orangethorpe Avenue, Placentia Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Jet Fuel Date: Sept. 19 Location of Incident: Diceon Electronics, 18522 Von Karman Ave., Irvine Material Handler: Diceon Materials Involved: Unknown Date: Sept. 21 Location of Incident: Corner of MacArthur Boulevard and Bonita Canyon Drive, Irvine Material Handler: Western Waste Materials Involved: Ammonia salt and oil Date: Sept. 21 Location of Incident: Corner of Golden West Street and Ellis Avenue, Huntington Beach Material Handler: Signal Oil Co. Materials Involved: Crude oil Date: Sept. 23 Location of Incident: San Clemente General Hospital, 654 Camino de los Mares, San Clemente Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Needles Date: Sept. 24 Location of Incident: Alpha Beta, 1111 S. Harbor Blvd., La Habra Material Handler: Alpha Beta Materials Involved: Ammonia Date: Sept. 25 Location of Incident: 1763 W. Neighbors Ave., Anaheim Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Two 55-gallon drums containing flammable liquid and detergent Date: Sept. 25 Location of Incident: La Habra High School, 801 W. Highlander Ave., La Habra Material Handler: La Habra High School Materials Involved: Chlorine Date: Sept. 26 Location of Incident: Corner of Baker Street and Mendoza Drive, Costa Mesa Material Handler: Unknown (illegal disposal) Materials Involved: Needles Date: Sept. 27 Location of Incident: Sandcastles Pre-School, 11362 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove Material Handler: Unknown (illegal disposal) Materials Involved: Needles Date: Sept. 27 Location of Incident: 12600 Brookhurst St., Garden Grove Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown Date: Sept. 28 Location of Incident: Arovista Park, 500 W. Imperial Highway, Brea Material Handler: Unknown Materials Involved: Unknown Source: Orange County Health Care Agency, environmental health division

HAZARDOUS SPILLS REPORTED BY CITY/COMMUNITY

October, 1988--September, 1989

City Number Anaheim 35 Huntington Beach 29 Garden Grove 25 Orange 24 Irvine 23 Santa Ana 21 Brea 14 Placentia 11 Costa Mesa 10 La Habra 8 Newport Beach 7 Tustin 5 El Toro 5 Laguna Hills 5 Westminster 5 Yorba Linda 5 Dana Point 4 Fullerton 4 Los Alamitos 4 Rural canyons 4 Mission Viejo 3 Buena Park 2 Stanton 2 Fountain Valley 2 San Juan Capistrano 2 Cypress 1 Laguna Beach 1 La Palma 1 Midway City 1 San Clemente 1 Seal Beach 1 Sunset Beach 1