Minimizes the impact of spills and releases to the environment and ensures emergency cleanup.

24-HOUR EMERGENCY SPILL HOTLINE
Report spills and environmental emergencies to Ohio EPA 24-hours a day, 365 days a year at 1-800-282-9378 or 614-224-0946.

Ohio EPA's Office of Emergency Response (ER) is a specialized group of staff stationed throughout Ohio who coordinate with first responders and other Federal, State, and local responders and support entities on environmental emergencies such as train wrecks, facility malfunctions, highway crashes, fish kills, oil and gas releases, natural disasters, etc., to minimize and abate the impact these releases cause to the environment.

ER is capable of responding 24-hours a day, seven days a week. Responders are fully trained in the Incident Command System. On-scene coordinators (OSCs) are available to help first responders address environmental emergencies and pollution incidents, including chemical and petroleum spills.

Statewide, Ohio EPA records more than 5,000 incident reports annually through calls to our emergency response spill hotline from citizens, companies, law enforcement, emergency responders and other agencies.

Program Information

Services

• Guide to Emergency Response 
• Release Reporting Requirements 
• Orphan Drum Program 
• Responsible Party's Guide to ER
• Cleanup Contractors Map
• Cleanup Contractors Listing

Links and Resources

• Mercury Reduction  
• Petroleum Contaminated Sites Guidance Document 
• SARA Title III (EPCRA) Release Notification Requirements and the Consolidated List of Chemicals ("List of Lists") from U.S. EPA 
• Spill Prevention, Control and Countermeasures (SPCC) 
• State Emergency Response Commission 
• Ohio EPA Notice Sign
• Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) 
• National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration 
• ODOT Road & Weather Information
• Ohio Department of Natural Resources 
• Ohio Department of Transportation 
• Ohio Emergency Management Agency 
• Ohio State Fire Marshal
• Ohio State Highway Patrol
• Public Utilities Commission of Ohio - Assistance for Hazardous Materials Incidents
• Regional Response Team, U.S. EPA Region V
• U.S. Coast Guard National Response Center
• U.S. Department of Homeland Security
• U.S. Department of Transportation
• Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration Hazardous Materials
• U.S. EPA

Records Requests

Spills and releases reported to the Ohio EPA are included in the data set. Information includes the spill site and products released. Click the link below to go directly to the data, or view the how-to video for assistance.

Ohio EPA Emergency Response Spills and Releases

Ohio EPA receives hundreds of information requests each year. In order to ensure that these requests are addressed in the most efficient and timely manner possible, please refer to the public records request webpage for specific information about the process. 

Contact
Mardi Enderle
Office of Emergency Response
4675 Homer Ohio Lane
Groveport, OH 43125
Phone: 614-836-8811
Email: mardi.enderle@epa.ohio.gov 

You may request the following:

• copies of individual incident records; 
• database search; and/or 
• file review.

If requesting a database search, please include as much of the following information as possible: 

• Name of company or previous owner 
• Incident ID number 
• Township or County
• Address

FAQs

Reporting Environmental Violations and Concerns

Please help protect Ohio's environment by identifying and reporting environmental concerns and violations. If you are witnessing a significant release or an environmental emergency that is ongoing, please call Ohio EPA's 24-hour emergency hotline 1-800-282-9378 or 614-224-0946.

What actions may be considered environmental violations?

• Illegal disposal and abandonment of waste (solid waste, hazardous waste, tires and construction and  demolition debris).
• Dumping or discharging industrial or agricultural waste into rivers, lakes ditches, storm sewers or to wastewater treatment plants.
• Malfunctioning wastewater treatment plants.
• Smoke or heavy dust emissions from industrial facilities.
• Drinking water with unusual tastes, odors or loss of water pressure.
• Burning of trash, garbage, oily wastes, tires and other materials.
• Destruction, draining and/or filling of wetlands.
• Demolition projects in buildings containing asbestos.
• Falsification of environmental documents such as manifests, sampling results, and discharge reports.
• False statements made to regulatory personnel.

Does Ohio EPA handle all environmental concerns?

No, some issues may be under the jurisdiction of federal, other state or local agencies. Ohio EPA does not regulate the following.

• Private septic systems serving one-, two-, or three-family homes (Ohio Department of Health)
• Private drinking water wells (Ohio Department of Health)
• Worker safety issues
• Radon and mold (indoor air quality) (Ohio Department of Health)
• Illegal collection of plants or capture or poaching of wildlife (Ohio Department of Natural Resources)
• Illegal mining (Ohio Department of Natural Resources)
• Noise
• Drainage and flooding issues
• Petroleum and fuel underground storage tanks (USTs) (Ohio Department of Commerce, State Fire Marshal Division)

Can I remain anonymous?

You do not have to provide any personal information in order for Ohio EPA to review your complaint. However, by providing your name and contact information, Ohio EPA will be able to contact you to clarify information or gather additional information from you to help investigate your concerns.  All the information submitted, including your contact information may be considered public information and may be released upon request.

Disclaimer:  Information provided in a complaint may be used by Ohio EPA to investigate and potentially seek penalties for violations of law. Therefore, the information provided must be true and accurate to the best of your knowledge. Ohio EPA will use the information you provide to determine whether an investigation is warranted.

Release and Reporting Requirements

The State Emergency Response Commission (SERC) finalized a set of eight (8) release reporting rules (3750-25-01; 3750-25-05; 3750-25-10; 3750-25-12; 3750-25-13; 3750-25-15; 3750-25-20; and 3750-25-25), effective June 30, 1993. The purpose of this section is to make you aware of your reporting obligations in case of a discharge or release.

All verbal notifications made under these rules are to be reported to the Ohio EPAs Emergency Response Section, Local Emergency Planning District(s) which may be affected, and the jurisdictional fire department(s).

An owner or operator is required to report a release or discharge under 3750.06 of the Ohio Revised Code anytime there is a release or spill of a regulated chemical which exceeds its assigned Reportable Quantity (RQ) and leaves the facility property line. For complete details about which substances are subject to the release reporting requirements, please refer to the State Emergency Response Commission website or release reporting requirement section of the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know (Ohio Revised Code Chapter 3750) Facility Reporting Compliance Manual.

Contacts