EPA settles with 7 New England companies over ammonia violations

November 8th, 2018 by Dakota Software Staff

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announced settlements with seven different companies spread across four New England states in November, all for alleged violations of chemical accident prevention and reporting laws related to the safe use of anhydrous ammonia in refrigeration and cooling units.

In total, the settlements require the seven companies to pay more than $580,000 in penalties and spend over $750,000 to achieve compliance with the law.

"These settlements reflect EPA's commitment to protect New Englanders from exposures to hazardous chemicals in the places they live, play and work," EPA New England Regional Administrator Alexandra Dunn said in a statement. "These agreements will improve compliance with important laws that help protect communities and provide critical resources for local emergency responders and communities."

An efficient yet toxic refrigerant, anhydrous ammonia is a highly corrosive chemical that can prove fatal if inhaled, which explains why the EPA is currently focused on preventing ammonia releases from industrial refrigeration systems. Though not harmful to the ozone layer, anhydrous ammonia is flammable at certain concentrations in the air, which is the reason that refrigeration machinery rooms are required to have proper ventilation.

Impact felt across several industries

A variety of businesses make use of anhydrous ammonia, as illustrated by the wide range of industries represented by the seven different companies involved in these settlements.

Among the seven companies are two food suppliers in Maine, including a frozen potato product manufacturer and blueberry processing plant, both of which agreed to pay fines for alleged violations of a Clean Air Act provision commonly known as the risk management planning rule.

In Massachusetts, a pet food company settled allegations that it violated the federal Emergency Planning and Community-Right-to-Know Act and the Clean Air Act's "General Duty Clause" requirements for ammonia refrigeration systems. Elsewhere in the Bay State, a large ice skating rink complex was accused of failing to complete a required hazard review and notify emergency responders about the presence of ammonia.

In Connecticut, a dry ice supplier and a dairy company both paid penalties related to the Superfund law, while a seafood packager in New Hampshire was fined for violations of the risk management planning rule at its cold storage warehouse.

According to the EPA, all seven companies cooperated with the agency's New England regional office. Two of the settlements derived from companies that the EPA had inspected after ammonia releases occurred, while the other five cases were pursued to prevent such releases in the future.

In 2017 and 2018, EPA co-sponsored ammonia safety trainings in all six New England states for about 300 company employees and emergency responders. These trainings included information about industry standards of care for preventing ammonia release and safe responses to any releases that do occur.