USA: A cold storage company in Connecticut has agreed to pay 124,181 dollars in fines to settle a violation of chemical risk prevention rules imposed by the CLEAN AIR ACT in the United States.
Under the settlement, the company Bozzuto Inc. has also updated its procedures to dramatically enhance public safety.
The penalty follows an inspection carried out in October 2012 on Bozzuto regarding handling of anhydrous ammonia and adherence to the CLEAN AIR ACT risk management plans regulations.

Expensive compliance upgrade for cold storage facility

To address EPA’s claims, Bozzuto’s has spent over $500,000 on bringing both its North Haven and Cheshire, Connecticut facilities into compliance with Clean Air Act chemical safety standards. Going above and beyond what is required under the regulations, Bozzuto has installed an ammonia detection system with more detection points than required and installed a computerized automatic shut-down control system.

It is very important for ammonia refrigeration facilities to understand the risks associated with their use of this hazardous chemical and maintain a safe operation,” said Curt Spalding, regional administrator of EPA’s New England office. “It is a matter of public safety that ammonia refrigeration facilities carefully adhere to regulations designed to ensure that these companies manage their systems more safely.”

In the USA, facilities operating systems with more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia are subject to the RMP regulations, while smaller refrigeration systems are subject to the more general “General Duty Clause” of Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(1).