The stated purpose of this publication is to describe some of the more significant spill incidents and the mechanisms, both managerial and technological, to deal with them. This publication is targeted for school, general public, and other such audiences. Sections include effects of spills, prevention of spills, responding to spills, spill surveillance, spill incidents, spills of hazardous substances, international cooperation, and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Regional Offices. Along with many black and white photographs of oil spills and clean-up efforts, this publication contains discussion of several recent spills. Among the spills described are the Torrey Canyon, the Santa Barbara off-shore well blow-out, San Juan River spill, Tappan Zee barge spill, the Argo Merchant disaster and many others. Also described are clean-up measures employed and plans for dealing with future spills. Hazardous substance accidents described are tank car, terminal, barge, and ship spills of PCB's, toxaphene, chlorine, strip mine ponds, and chlorinated hydrocarbons. (MR)