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CCH
Level 1 Alert lasting longer than 20 minutes or with odors
Notification Only - Flaring incident at Martinez Refining Company in Martinez that may be Seen by the surrounding community.
September 26, 2023, 11:28 am

Martinez Refining Company –
2022 Hazmat Release Incident


This page contains information related to the accidental release of up to 24 tons of metal-laden "spent catalyst" from the Martinez Refining Company (MRC) on Nov. 24-25, 2022.

A community-involved committee overseeing an independent risk assessment of the spent catalyst release received the initial results of the assessment on June 8. The County hired a toxicologist, TRC, to take soil samples from affected areas and analyze those samples for potential health concerns. TRC reported that the release did not increase risk to public health from exposure to hazardous metals in the soil. The full risk assessment report will be posted on this page when completed.

In response, Contra Costa Health lifted its March 7 health advisory regarding consumption of produce grown in soil near the site of the release.

The County has hired another firm to do an independent root-cause analysis to determine why the accident happened and how it can be prevented from happening again. The District Attorney is also pursuing legal action against the refinery for not notifying County health officials when the accident happened.

MRC Claims Line

Call 800-542-7113 to contact Martinez Refining Company regarding concerns related to the Nov. 24-25, 2022 release or to speak with a company representative. NOTE: Contra Costa County does not participate in or maintain this line.

Media Releases



Soil Sampling Locations