Hazardous Material Release

A hazardous material (HAZMAT) is any element or compound that, because of handling, storing, processing, or packaging, may have detrimental effects upon the public (especially emergency personnel) and/or the environment (State Emergency Operations Plan, 2015, p. Tab A-6 to Tab A-7). Hazardous materials are found in forms and quantities that can potentially cause death, serious injury, long-lasting health effects, and property damage in varying degrees. They may be flammable, corrosive, detonable, toxic, radioactive, oxidizers, disease-causing agents, or highly reactive. They are routinely used and stored in homes and businesses and are also shipped daily on Colorado’s highways, railroads, waterways, and pipelines. Hazardous material releases include spilling, disposal, or other form of discharge into the environment.

Incidents involving hazardous material releases can apply to fixed facilities as well as mobile, transportation-related accidents. Between 2005 and 2014, approximately 166,000 HAZMAT incidents were reported nationwide. Nearly 86 percent of these were highway incidents, nine percent involved the air industry, and four percent were railroad incidents (Incident Reports Database Search, n.d.). These HAZMAT events generally consist of solid, liquid, and/or gaseous contaminants that are released from fixed or mobile containers, and most by accident versus an intentional act. A HAZMAT incident can last hours to days, while some chemicals can be corrosive or otherwise damaging over longer periods of time. In addition to the primary release, explosions and/or fires can result from a HAZMAT release, and contaminants can be extended beyond the initial area by persons, vehicles, water, wind, and possibly wildlife.