Before the 1970s, disposal of excess, obsolete, or unserviceable munitions at sea was common. Sea-disposal operations included the disposal of conventional munitions of every type and chemical munitions with various chemical agent fills. Commercial fishing, clamming, and dredging operations can stir up these munitions and they can be encountered anywhere at sea, not just charted hazardous areas. There is now increasing concern about environmental and human health effects associated with the disposal of these agents both on land and in the ocean. Environmental health practitioners, especially those along coastal areas, should be aware that these incidents are occurring. This month's column provides several examples of such incidents and introduces a new tool for the fishing industry that was designed to be helpful when chemical munitions are encountered.

More than 80,000 potentially toxic substances are currently produced, stored, or moved for manufacturing, agriculture, and service industries in an estimated 4.5 million facilities in the U.S. The National Response Center recorded 32,551 chemical incidents in 2012 (National Response Center, 2013). The World Health Organization (WHO) defines a chemical incident as the uncontrolled release of a toxic substance resulting in (potential) harm to public health and the environment (WHO, 2009). Health effects from chemical incidents range from exacerbation of preexisting conditions to acute or chronic effects that affect different systems, depending on the chemical and route of exposure. Accidental releases of chemicals can occur in occupational or nonoccupational settings. An act of terrorism involving an intentional release of toxic industrial chemicals or military chemical weapons likely would also cause chemical exposures. Responding to those emergencies includes addressing the potential health effects of the affected public. | Local, state, and federal public health systems increasingly have become involved in preparedness efforts for chemical incident responses, but efforts have been conducted independently and without a clear consensus or understanding of the public health system’s role in such incidents (LaTourrette, Davis, Howell, Sama, & Dausey, 2009). Most emergency preparedness and response planning for chemical incidents focuses on public safety and emergency management roles. Public health departments, however, also have important roles in chemical incident response. These include investigating, tracking, and following up on health effects in exposed persons, as well as issuing guidance about population protective measures and communicating health risks.