Emergency Permit for Management of Hazardous Waste, University of California, Irvine, Environmental Health and Science, Irvine, California

The California Department of Toxic Substances Control has issued an emergency permit to the University of California, Irvine, authorizing the chemical stabilization of two containers of Tetrahydrofuran, one 20-liter and one 1-liter, to prevent imminent safety risks. This action is mandated under CCR Title 22, Division 4.5, Chapter 20, Section 66270.61, due to the hazardous nature of the chemical and the need to mitigate potential accidents or injuries during storage and transport. The material is currently held at the university’s facility on 4600 Health Sciences Road in Irvine, and treatment must occur on-site using controlled chemical reactions before the waste can be moved. Upon stabilization, the treated waste will be transported by Clean Harbors Environmental Services to an authorized hazardous waste treatment, storage, and disposal facility. The permit is a temporary measure driven by urgent safety concerns, not routine operations, and reflects the DTSC’s responsibility to ensure compliance with state hazardous waste regulations while protecting public health and the environment. Contact for the permit is Joanna Louie, Hazardous Substances Engineer at DTSC, and Eric Hoang, Environmental Compliance and Hazardous Waste Manager at UC Irvine, with the permit posted on June 11, 2026, under the project identifier 2026060542.