EPA Conducts the Largest Wildfire Hazardous Material Removal Effort in its History

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is currently undergoing the largest wildfire hazardous waste cleanup in the history of the agency as it assists local governments and residents in the wake of catastrophic fires in Los Angeles County. The EPA has completed reconnaissance at 6,022 properties, including 3,636 properties impacted by the Eaton Fire and 2,386 properties impacted by the Palisades Fire. The agency has removed 80 electric vehicles and bulk energy storage systems, which are extremely dangerous to the public and the environment, and will continue ramping up such operations.

As of Feb. 3, 1,050 response personnel are in the field, up from 478 at the end of last week. The EPA is assembling 60 teams to clear hazardous materials from the more than 13,000 residential and 250 commercial fire-impacted properties. At the request of water utilities, the EPA is also providing technical assistance to help bring systems back online.

The EPA has been assigned by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) with the first stage of the overall recovery and cleanup: the project to remove lithium-ion batteries and to survey, remove, and dispose of hazardous materials from properties burned by wildfires.

The EPA will remove potentially dangerous everyday products including household products like paints, cleaning supplies, and automotive oils; garden products such as herbicides and pesticides; batteries, including both standard and rechargeable types; and propane tanks and other pressurized gas containers. The EPA field teams will remove visible asbestos and inspect pressurized fuel cylinders (like propane tanks). After a fire, these products require special handling, especially if their containers are damaged. The teams will also remove items thought to have asbestos if they are easy to identify, but the property will not be fully cleared until Phase 2 (debris removal).

The EPA will also continue to remove lithium-ion batteries from vehicles and homes. Many homes have damaged or destroyed lithium-ion batteries, lithium-ion battery energy storage systems, and electric and hybrid vehicles. The batteries should be considered extremely dangerous, even if they look intact. Lithium-ion batteries can spontaneously re-ignite, explode, and emit toxic gases and particulates even after the fire is out.

Additionally, the EPA is partnering with the U.S. military and Department of Homeland Security to develop and execute a plan to expedite the removal of contaminated and general debris.

In related environmental news, about 2.2 billion gallons of water was ordered released from federal reservoirs in Central California on Jan. 31 by President Donald Trump. CNN reported he had the misguided intent to send water to the fire-ravaged Southern California. However, Los Angeles’ water sources are completely separated from the reservoirs that were ordered released. Experts also said that the water was wasted by being released during the wet winter season instead of saving the water for the upcoming dry summer months.