Spill/Release Notification

Community Right to Know Site business/inventory plan SARA 311, 312, and 313 reports Fire Department inspections/correspondence Hazard Communication Program Material Safety Data Sheet File Spill/release notification records Underground and Aboveground Storage Tanks Registration forms... 

Spills are covered by a variety of federal, state, and local reporting requirements and substantial penalties can result to a company and its employees for failing to report certain spills. Initial release notification is usually required immediately or within 24 hours of the release and, in some cases, written follow-up reports are required. Some of the applicable legislation is listed below and Table 64.1 lists some of the major reporting requirements for chemical spills that are specified by these Acts. However, refer to Hoechst Celanese s procedures for plant-specific requirements. 

When chemical releases (e g., spills) occur in a quantity equal to or exceeding the CERCLA RQs, a hazardous substance release notification in accordance with 40 CFR 302.4 is required. The facility organization reports the incident to the Environmental Protection Department, which communicates the information to appropriate regulatory agencies. 

RDP 12.02 provides instructions about how the notifications are made. If the condition, event, or concern requiring notification is an environmental issue (i.e., a hazardous material accident, spill, release, or noncompliance) the Shift Manager notifies the site spill coordinator and the Operations Manager within 2 hours of the classification of the condition, event, or concern. The Shift Manager then ensures that the requirements for spill reporting and control are satisfied.. The RDP provides the notification requirements if the condition, event or concern is not environmentally related. Notifications are also required to be within 2 hours of the classification. 

Fuel oils that are accidentally released to inland waters are reported to the Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS). Total spill volumes of fuel oils released in 1991 were as follows (ERNS 1992) ... 

Releases (spills) of any of the extremely hazardous chemicals including pesticides in excess of their reportable quantity (RQ) must be reported to the National Response Center, state and local emergency planning committees, and other agencies requiring notification. The reportable quantity of a substance can be found in 40 CFR 355.40 Appendix A or B. (The CERCLA list of hazardous substances is found in 40 CFR 302.4 and has similar reporting requirements). 

Review for HAZMAT teams as well as a introduction for awareness level personnel. Examples of chemical spills, types of releases, spill containment, cleanup procedures, notification procedures, spill response levels, decontamination, and affected surfaces. Part of four-volume series, "A Refresher Course in Chemical Safety. ... 

The Reportable Quantity of a chemical release is established by Federal law as the threshold volume of each specific chemical, which, if exceeded must be reported to local, state and Federal authorities. Notification need not be made if the spills are confined within the boundary of the facility. Table 9-3 reflects reportable quantities of representative chemicals which have been referenced elsewhere in this document. 

Stoddard solvent may be released to the atmosphere in the exhaust emissions of dry cleaning plants. Emissions from one plant were determined to be 2,100 ppm (measured as propane) (EPA 1980). Fugitive emissions from other industrial or domestic uses (such as incompletely sealed or punctured barrels) may contribute to levels of Stoddard solvent in the environment, including contributions to general levels of volatile organic carbon. In addition, surface water contamination may occur as a result of direct spills of Stoddard solvent onto surface waters, runoff from spills to soil with subsequent transmission to nearby water sources, or from improper disposal, such as pouring Stoddard solvent down drains. Accidental spills of Stoddard solvent to various media are reported to the Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS) maintained by EPA. Total spill data for Stoddard solvent are ... 

Spills which result in a substantial release of toxic liquids or airborne vapors such that the release extends beyond the facility boundaries invoke the requirements of the Community Right-To-Know Act. Notification of the local emergency coordinator by the dispatcher would be the first legal step to get the mechanisms moving. 

Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act (EPCRA also SARA 313") (42 U.S. Code 1101 et seq.) (Part of Superfund) Provides authority for communities to devise plans for preventing and responding to chemical spills and release into the environment requires pubhc notification of the types of hazardous substances handled or release by fa-cihties requires state and local emergency plans. 

CERCLA Section 101(14) excludes certain substances from the definition of hazardous substance, thus exempting them from CERCLA regulation. These substances include petroleum, meaning crude oil or any fraction thereof that is not specifically listed as a hazardous substance, natural gas, natural gas liquids, liquefied natural gas, and synthetic gas usable for fuel. If a release of one of these substances occurs, CERCLA notification is not required. Thus, CERCLA reporting will only apply to shale gas production and processing sites if hazardous substances other than crude oil or natural gas are spilled in reportable quantities such are not usually present at these sites. 

When a person calls to report a release, the NRC asks a series of questions. The information is loaded into the Emergency Response Notification System (ERNS). ERNS is a database and retrieval system used to track information relating to notifications of oil and hazardous substances. The database provides a direct source of data that can be used to analyze notifications and spills, support emergency planning efforts, and assist decisionmakers in developing spill prevention programs. 

The federal Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act (SARA Title III) and the Emergency Planning and Community Right-To-Know Act (EPCRA) have several components that are of direct relevance to the use of chemicals. First, they address community emergency planning in event of a hazardous chemical release. There is also provision for emergency notification of state officials of a spill or release of any chemical above a specified amount (referred to as a reportable... 

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