6-7 Agency (EPA) regulations, the Navy has developed a hazardous material control and management program. Hazardous    Material    Control    and    Management (HMC&M), OPNAVINST 4110.2, provides the details of this program. OPNAVINST 5100.23 and OPNAVINST 5100.19 also discuss hazardous material control and management. The Naval Supply Systems Command manages the overall program for hazardous  material  control  and management for the Navy. The program’s objectives are as follows: Minimize the amount of hazardous materials in use. Use hazardous materials safely. Decrease the amount of hazardous waste we produce. DEFINITION OF HAZARDOUS MATERIAL What is hazardous material? “Hazardous material” can be defined as any material that, because of its quantity,   concentration,   or   physical   or   chemical characteristics, may pose a real hazard to human health or the environment. Hazardous materials include the following categories: Aerosols Compressed gases Oxidizing materials Toxic or poisonous materials Flammable and combustible materials Corrosive materials, such as strong acids and alkalies Separate directives cover some materials considered hazardous. They include mercury; asbestos; propellants; bulk fuels; ammunition; medical waste; and chemical, biological, and radiological materials. Afloat units turn in used or excess HAZMATS to Public Works Centers or other shore collection sites. The shore site then restores, recycles, or disposes of the used or excess hazardous materials. HAZARDOUS MATERIALS INFORMATION SYSTEM The  Hazardous  Materials  Information  System (HMIS) is a computerized database of Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDSs). It provides  information  for people working in hazardous material management. The system provides basic technical information required for all levels of hazardous materials to aid in their proper handling,  storage,  transportation,  and  disposal.  In addition, HMIS  provides  information  about  safety, health, and environmental functions. The HMIS database provides useful information on more than 70,000 hazardous materials used by DoD. The Naval Supply Systems Command distributes the database quarterly as part of the Hazardous Material Control and Management (HMC&M) CD-ROM, which contains the following materials: HMIS database with MSDSs and labels Hazardous Material Afloat Program (HMAP) Management Guide Hazardous Material User’s Guide (HMUG) Ship Hazardous Material List (SHML) Safety Equipment Shopping Guide Navy Safety Center roster Various hazardous material and environmental compliance instructions Tutorial for hardware and software Each ship and most shore stations have been issued a  computer  compact  disk  (CD)  player  and  are  on distribution for HMC&M updates.