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Introduction to Hazardous Materials
A hazardous material is any substance or material capable of posing an unreasonable risk to health, safety and property. Multiple factors determine if a material may be considered hazardous, including quantity, concentration, and physical or chemical characteristics. A hazardous material becomes a hazardous waste when it can no longer be used for the purpose it was originally intended. The legal definition of hazardous waste is complicated, based on factors such as the type of material, the concentration of its hazardous components and if it is being recycled. All hazardous wastes are hazardous materials, but not all hazardous materials are hazardous waste.
Because of the inherent danger to people and the environment, the transport, use and disposal of hazardous materials and waste is regulated. At the federal government level, programs are created by legislation passed in Congress and managed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). In California, the California Code of Regulations (CCR) establishes the hazardous materials programs for our state.
Overview of Hazardous Materials Programs in California
The California Environmental Protection Agency (Cal/EPA) is the primary state oversight agency for most hazardous materials programs mandated by the CCR. Cal/EPA manages the Unified Program (UP) which consolidates, coordinates, and makes consistent the administrative requirements, permits, inspections, enforcement activities, and fees for the following six programs:
- Hazardous Materials Release Response Plans and Inventories
- California Accident Prevention Program
- California Uniform Fire Code: Hazardous Materials Management Plans and Hazardous Materials Inventories
- Hazardous Waste Programs: Generator programs and Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment Activities
- Underground Tank Program
- Above Ground Petroleum Storage Act Requirements For Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plans
The UP (CCR Title 27, Division 1, Subdivision 4, Chapter 1, Part 1, Article 1, Section 15100) defines the specific agency and department responsible for coordinating each of the six programs. These include the Office of the State Fire Marshal (OSFM), Office of Emergency Services (OES), Department of Toxic Substances (DTSC), Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) and State Water Resources Control Board (SWRCB), which itself is comprised of nine Regional Water Quality Control Boards (RWQCB's). The UP requires Cal/EPA to certify a local agency to implement the six state environmental programs within the local agency's jurisdiction as the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA).
Introduction to the Santa Barbara County Fire Department Hazardous Materials Unit
The Santa Barbara County Fire Department Hazardous Materials Unit (SBCFD HMU) is the Cal/EPA CUPA responsible for administering the six state environmental programs within the County of Santa Barbara through:
- Consolidation of Administrative Procedures
- Consolidated Permit Program
- Unified Inspection and Enforcement Program
- Single Fee System
- Annual State Surcharge
- Fee Accountability
- Submittal of an Annual Report to the State of California Department of Toxic Substances (DTSC) and the State of California Office of Emergency Services (OES)
The SBCFD HMU has jurisdiction over the unincorporated areas of the county in addition to working with the Carpinteria-Summerland Fire District, Montecito Fire District, Santa Barbara City Fire Department, Lompoc City Fire Department, Santa Maria City Fire Department, and Vandenberg Air Force Base Fire Department as Participating Agencies (PA).
Summary of Hazardous Materials Programs in Santa Barbara County
| Alias | SBCFD HMU Program (link to forms) |
State Program | State Oversight Agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| BP | Business Plans | Hazardous Materials Release Response Plans and Inventories | OES |
| CalARP | California Accident Prevention Program | California Accident Prevention Program | OES |
| RMP | Risk Management Prevention Plan | Risk Management and Prevention Program | OES |
| HMMP | Article 80 - Uniform Fire Code Hazardous Materials Management Plans & Inventories | California Uniform Fire Code: Hazardous Materials Management Plans and Hazardous Materials Inventories | OSFM |
| HWG | Hazardous Waste Generators & Onsite Treatment, Generator Tiered Permits | Hazardous Waste Programs: Generator Programs & Onsite Hazardous Waste Treatment Activities | DTSC |
| UST | Underground Storage Tanks | Underground Tank Program | SWRCB |
| AST | Aboveground Storage Tank Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plans | Above Ground Petroleum Storage Act Requirements For Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure Plans (SPCC) | SWRCB |
| LUFT | Leaking Underground Fuel Tank | Leaking Underground Storage Tank Program | SWRCB |
| SMU | Site Mitigation Unit | Site Mitigation Program | DTSC |
| SMU - 2 | Site Mitigation Unit 2 - Oil Field Restoration Program | Site Mitigation Program | DTSC |
| Prop 65 | Proposition 65 Release & Spill Reporting | The Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act | OEHHA |