Although anhydrous ammonia is an effective refrigerant, it is also a toxic chemical that can injure or kill people when accidentally released. The death of a worker at the Stavis Seafood plant in South Boston in 2016 is a tragic example and since EPA has moved strong with their initiative to improve compliance with the general duty at New England facilities (Region) with small ammonia refrigeration systems. So far, EPA has also issued information request letters to 50 companies and entered into Expedited Settlement Agreements (ESAs) with seven facilities that had not yet completed process hazard reviews.
Larger ammonia refrigeration facilities are subject to the Risk Management regulations issued by EPA, but facilities that use fewer than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia are subject to the three duties of the GDC instead. Region 1 estimates that approximately 80% of the ammonia refrigeration facilities in New England have fewer than 10,000 pounds of ammonia and so are subject to the GDC instead of the RMP regulations. As we see from prior CHEMNEP posts and this one it does not matter how much ammonia is onsite, safety with this chemical is paramount.
Below are some of EPA’s most recent proposed penalties for ammonia violations across the United States.
EPA states that facilities that fail to comply with the requirements put facility personnel, employees of adjacent businesses, emergency responders, and the local population and environment at risk of harm from such ammonia releases.
