Final answer:
In the incident response process, containment is the action that removes affected components from the larger environment to prevent further damage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The action of the incident response process that removes affected components from the larger environment is containment. Containment is a critical step that involves isolating the compromised systems to prevent the spread of the incident, safeguard unaffected resources, and minimize the overall impact. This can involve disconnecting the affected systems from the network, revoking access, or redirecting traffic. Additionally, measures such as establishing an evacuation zone around a contaminated area represent a form of physical containment in response to incidents like toxic spills or radioactive fallout, as in the provided references to contaminated waste removal and evacuation zones.