3960 Department of Toxic Substances Control
Program Descriptions

12 - SITE MITIGATION AND BROWNFIELDS REUSE

This program is responsible for implementing the state site cleanup laws and the federal Superfund program. The program currently oversees approximately 1,000 hazardous substances release site investigations and cleanups and monitors long-term operations and maintenance activities at approximately 200 sites where the cleanup process has been completed. Additionally, the department is responsible for ensuring compliance with the terms of the 469 land use restrictions now in place on properties throughout the state.

New sites are identified through surveillance and enforcement efforts, through emergency response activities, by examination of other previously identified potential sites, and voluntarily by public and private entities requesting departmental oversight to return the properties to productive use. These sites and projects include cleaning up federal and state superfund properties, abandoned mines, other abandoned and underutilized properties known as ''brownfields'', and open and closed military installations.

The program is responsible for overseeing environmental assessments and cleanups at proposed new or expanding school sites to prevent or reduce potential exposure of students and staff to hazardous materials. The program also is responsible for the Stringfellow Hazardous Waste Site, a former hazardous waste disposal site and federal Superfund Site.

The program works with the California Emergency Management Agency and other state agencies to assure response readiness for acts of terrorism involving the use of toxic chemicals. This program also continues to work closely with other state agencies, the United States Environmental Protection Agency, and local agencies throughout the state to establish and implement viable grant and loan programs to aid in assessment and cleanup of brownfields sites.

13 - HAZARDOUS WASTE MANAGEMENT

The Hazardous Waste Management program regulates the generation, storage, transportation, treatment, and disposal of hazardous waste to minimize risks to public health and the environment. The program oversees 124 permitted facilities managing hazardous waste, approximately 980 registered businesses transporting hazardous waste, over 620 facilities/generators subject to corrective actions, and over $1.8 billion in financial assurance. The program monitors hazardous waste transfer, storage, treatment, and disposal facilities for illegal activity; including electronic manifest surveillance and monitoring registered hazardous waste transporters; and, enforces hazardous waste requirement violations found through routine inspections, complaint investigations, and other focused enforcement initiatives. The program also ensures compliance with hazardous waste requirements related to electronic waste fraud and certain consumer products including lead in jewelry and toxic substances in packaging.

19 - ADMINISTRATION

The Administration program provides accounting, budgeting, revenue collection, human resource and workforce management, data processing, performance management, business services, and other administrative support to the departmental programs. Administration also supports operations in Sacramento, Clovis, Berkeley, Chatsworth, Cypress, San Diego, and El Centro including two environmental chemistry laboratories located in northern and southern California.

20 - SCIENCE, POLLUTION PREVENTION AND TECHNOLOGY

The Science, Pollution Prevention and Technology program provides scientific leadership in the areas of green chemistry, pollution prevention, and hazardous waste source reduction; analytical and environmental chemistry; biomonitoring; human and ecological exposure and risk assessment; industrial hygiene and workplace safety; innovative environmental technologies development; and nanotechnology issue.

The ongoing program activities provide the scientific basis for informed regulatory enforcement and site clean-up decision-making, as well as supporting governments, businesses, universities, and the public in early detection of toxic substances through biomonitoring and product monitoring, statewide reduction in use of toxic substances and use of safer green chemistry alternatives. The program is also responsible for encouraging independent research of green chemistry alternatives, adopting pollution prevention strategies, evaluating and deploying new environmental technologies, and developing strategies for emerging issues, such as nanomaterials.

21 - STATE AS CERTIFIED UNIFIED PROGRAM AGENCY

The California Environmental Protection Agency designated the Department of Toxic Substances Control as the Certified Unified Program Agency (CUPA) in Trinity and Imperial Counties. As the CUPA, the department is responsible for implementing the six elements of the Unified Program: hazardous waste generator and onsite treatment activities, spill prevention control and countermeasure plans for owners of aboveground petroleum storage tanks, underground storage tank program, hazardous material release response plans and inventories, California Accidental Release Prevention program, and certain Uniform Fire Code requirements pertaining to hazardous material management plans and inventories.