City of Irvine
2020 Local Hazard Mitigation Plan
In severe situations, Irvine may also be at risk of hazardous materials release events on a regional level. With the right prevailing wind conditions, airborne toxic material could spread to and impact various parts of the air basin, including areas of Irvine. Figure 3-7 identifies stationary hazardous materials locations within Irvine that store, use, or produce hazardous materials regulated by the state. While these locations are fixed, roadways throughout the community are commonly used for the transport of hazardous materials and waste. These facilities are common locations for spills and releases. While there is no extent scale for hazardous materials release, the probability of an incident is anticipated to be occasional (less than 10% chance of occurrence) each year.
Past Occurrences
Irvine has experienced an average of 23 hazardous materials spills reported to the Cal OES Spill Release Reporting database. Most of these incidents involve sewage and petroleum products. Table 3-11 identifies the yearly releases reported to Cal OES.
Table 3-11: Irvine Spill Release Reporting
Year
Reported Releases
2010
20
2011
22
2012
35
2013
26
2014
19
2015
26
2016
14
2017
22
2018 26 Data collected from https://www.caloes.ca.gov/cal-oes-divisions/fire-rescue/hazardous-materials/spill-release-reporting
Probability of Future Events
Most of the release events within Irvine have occurred due to human error, malfunctioning equipment, or as a deliberate act. Given this, it is anticipated that future events within Irvine will include minor incidents like past occurrences identified above. A key element identified in Figure 3-6 is the density of hazardous material sites that may contribute to environmental justice issues within the community. Activities to prevent future releases, as well as response strategies, should take this into consideration.
Climate Change Consideration
Climate-related natural hazard events, such as an intense flood, could cause hazardous materials release associated with transportation crashes or damage to storage containers or vessels containing these substances. Climate-related hazards could also exacerbate the effects and impacts of such events. For
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