Fourteen tree fruit packers in eastern Washington State have together paid more than $600,000 in penalties over the past two years for not having a proper risk management plan in place for the ammonia they use in their cold-storage facilities. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency regulations under the Clean Air Act require that facilities using more than 10,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia have a risk management plan and develop a risk management program. Anhydrous ammonia has the potential to be one of the most dangerous chemicals used in refrigeration and agriculture, according to the EPA. It can cause runny eyes, inflammation […]