Climate related trends in US hazardous material releases caused by natural hazards

Natural hazards are the underlying cause of between 1 and 7 percent of federally reported hazmat releases in the US every year. During the period from 1990 through 2019 the fraction of releases caused by natural hazards has increased, in large part due to increased releases from hurricanes as well as floods, storms and wind. Many of these events are minor, but some have resulted in large and expensive releases as well as deaths, injuries, and evacuations. Inter annual variability of these releases is correlated with occurrence of extreme weather and associated climate indices. Given observed and future predicted increases in extreme weather events, it is likely many of these types of releases will continue to increase. Greater attention to management of natural hazard risk to industry, and in particularly to bulk storage facilities, is required to prevent further increase in the frequency and severity of these events.

Automated summary

Natural hazards are responsible for 1 to 7 percent of hazmat releases reported in the US annually. The frequency of these releases caused by natural hazards has increased over the years, primarily due to the impact of hurricanes, floods, storms, and wind. The variability of these releases is linked to extreme weather events and climate indices. It is essential to pay greater attention to managing natural hazard risks, especially in bulk storage facilities, to prevent further escalation in the occurrence and severity of these events.