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 is currently overseeing an independent risk assessment of the spent catalyst release. The County has hired a toxicologist, TRC, to take soil samples from affected areas and analyze those samples for potential health concerns. 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.
As a precaution, the County's health officer has issued an advisory recommending that refinery neighbors not eat fruit or vegetables grown in soil potentially exposed to the spent catalyst until the soil testing is completed. Test results are expected to be ready in late May 2023.
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 Being Done Around Martinez Refinery to Assess Health Risks from "Spent Catalyst" Release - May 4, 2023
- YouTube video: B-roll of soil samples being collected
- Photos: Image-1 | Image-2
- YouTube video: Media Availability
- Health Department Safety Advice on Gardening to Residents who Live Near Martinez Refinery - March 7, 2023
- Contra Costa Seeks Volunteers for Oversight of Martinez Refinery Release Investigation - January 18, 2023
- Health Department Asks District Attorney to Pursue Legal Action Against Martinez Refining Company for Hazardous Materials Release - January 5, 2023
- Contra Costa Health Recommends an Independent Investigation of Martinez Refinery Release - December 14, 2022
- Hazardous Materials Release at Martinez Oil Refinery Contained Heavy Metals - November 30, 2022