| It looks like someone declared June 8,
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| | Screening Threshold Quantity (STQ) listed
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| 2007 to be the day for serious Anhydrous
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| | in the proposed Appendix A, Chemicals of
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| Ammonia spills from refrigeration systems
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| | Interest, to 6 CFR part 27. Cooling
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| across the country. There were three
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| | systems having more than 7,500 pounds of
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| separate instances of significant spills
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| | Anhydrous Ammonia in the system would
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| reported today. Mount Sterling, KY,
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| | make that food processing company a
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| Wyalusing, PA, and Milwaukie, OR all had
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| | ?Chemical Facility? under the rules of
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| releases in the last 24 hours. No one was
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| | this regulation.
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| killed, but a number of people were taken
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| | According to the EPA Risk Management Plan
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| to the hospital, businesses were
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| | (RMP) guidance documents, 7,500 lbs of
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| evacuated, and residents were told to
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| | Anhydrous Ammonia released in 10 minutes
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| shelter in place.
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| | time from a pressurized system (clearly a
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| There were explosions associated with two
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| | catastrophic leak, not a faulty valve)
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| of the incidents. There are reports that
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| | will have a plume with a toxic end point
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| the ammonia leak at a Nestle Plant in
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| | 3.2 miles down wind from the site of the
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| Kentucky caused an explosion that blew
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| | leak (Table 9, 1.5 m/s wind speed). That
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| down a wall at that plant; no injuries
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| | means that anyone between the leak and
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| from the explosion or falling debris have
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| | 3.2 miles downwind could be exposed to
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| been reported. The American Cold Storage
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| | dangerous concentrations of Anhydrous
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| facility in Oregon had an unexplained (as
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| | Ammonia.
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| yet) explosion result in the ammonia
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| | Rather obviously, from the lack of
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| leak. There were no reports of an
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| | casualties, none of these three release
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| explosion associated with the leak at
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| | events came any where near 7,500 lbs in
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| Cargill Taylor Beef Plant in
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| | 10 minute release rate required for a 3.2
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| Pennsylvania.
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| | mile long toxic plume. There is nothing
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| Anhydrous Ammonia is favored in many
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| | in any of the available article that
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| large cooling systems because it has
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| | tells anything about the release rate for
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| better heat transfer characteristics and
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| | these accidents, but from the description
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| is cheaper than the refrigerant gasses
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| | they did not seem to be catastrophic
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| used in home cooling systems and
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| | release events. But what about the
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| refrigerators. The problem is that this
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| | explosion caused by the release in
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| material is very reactive and is
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| | Kentucky?
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| classified as a Toxic by Inhalation gas.
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| | Anhydrous Ammonia is a very reactive
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| Fortunately, the gas is extremely
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| | chemical, and even by itself can form an
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| irritating at well below the toxic level
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| | explosive mixture when mixed with air at
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| so that when a minor leak happens,
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| | concentrations of 16 to 25% Ammonia in
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| unprotected people evacuate the area
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| | air, though it would require a strong
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| quickly with little urging. A
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| | ignition source. It reacts to produce
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| catastrophic leak, however, can overcome
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| | explosive by-products when it mixes with
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| people before they have a chance to get
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| | Chlorine, Bromine or Iodine. Violent
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| clear. This is partially because many
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| | reactions occur with Bleach or Peroxides.
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| people are temporarily blinded by less
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| | It also forms explosive compounds with
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| than lethal concentrations.
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| | Gold, Silver and Mercury. So, while
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| The food industry has long maintained
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| | explosions are not part of the normal
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| that they should not have to comply with
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| | operating conditions of refrigeration
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| any handling restrictions on Anhydrous
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| | systems using Anhydrous Ammonia as a
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| Ammonia required under various Federal
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| | refrigerant, an explosion after a
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| laws, since they don?t actually handle
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| | significant leak would not be totally
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| Anhydrous Ammonia; it stays in a closed
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| | unexpected.
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| system. During the regulatory comment
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| | Just maybe, DHS was correct in setting
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| period they complained about being
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| | the STQ limit for Anhydrous Ammonia at a
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| required to submit information under the
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| | low enough level so that some
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| new Chemical Facility Anti-terrorism
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| | refrigeration plant users could be
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| standards based on the 7,500 pound
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| | labeled as Chemical Facilities.
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