EPA Requires Wawona Frozen Foods in Fresno, Calif., to Comply with Chemical Safety Laws
SAN FRANCISCO – Today, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced a settlement with Wawona Frozen Foods for claims of violations of the Clean Air Act. The violation claims pertain to the facility’s anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system that is used for cold storage and freezing of peaches, nectarines, plums, and strawberries. Anhydrous ammonia can cause serious, often irreversible health effects when released. In addition to potential impacts from inhalation of or skin contact with this substance, it is highly flammable.
“It is essential that any facility handling dangerous chemicals such as anhydrous ammonia take steps to reduce the risk of releases in order to protect workers, first responders and the public,” said EPA Pacific Southwest Regional Administrator Martha Guzman. “We’re encouraged that Wawona Frozen Foods has invested in making its Fresno facility safer and, as a result of this settlement, will provide first responders with important protective equipment.”
Under the settlement, Wawona Frozen Foods will pay $25,250 in civil penalties and make significant safety improvements to the facility to come into compliance with federal environmental laws.
In December 2018, EPA conducted an inspection of the Wawona Frozen Foods facility located at 2202 South Cedar Avenue, in Fresno. Based on the inspection, EPA identified several deficiencies relating to the Clean Air Act Section 112(r)(7), also called the Risk Management Program (RMP), including:
- Failure to document ammonia refrigeration equipment complied with industry safety standards. For example, an engine room door was not tight-fitting and there were open-ended pipes that lacked plugs or caps in the engine room, which could allow an ammonia release to harm workers in employee-occupied spaces. The ammonia piping lacked adequate labeling, and the engine room lacked adequate emergency ventilation.
- Failure to correct equipment deficiencies in a timely manner. For example, there was ice accumulation on several pieces of ammonia refrigeration equipment in the engine room. Ice build-up adds weight stress to pipes, and the freeze/thaw process can weaken ammonia piping and equipment.
- Failure to conduct respirator fit testing for ammonia operators.
- Failure to make timely repairs to ammonia piping and equipment to fix safety hazards which were identified during a Compliance Audit.
Following the inspection, Wawona Frozen Foods made safety improvements to its facility. It completed equipment repairs on corroded equipment, addressed ice accumulation on equipment, and installed appropriate equipment labeling. The facility has complied with most concerns identified in the inspection report. There are several remaining compliance tasks that are due before the end of 2024, as required in the settlement agreement. The facility will update its inspection checklists, complete remaining compliance audit recommendations, update its engine room ventilation system, and provide respirator fit testing to its ammonia refrigeration operators.
Wawona Frozen Foods also volunteered to donate emergency preparedness equipment valued at $90,857 to the Fresno Fire Department (FFD). The equipment will allow the FFD to be better prepared and respond more effectively to incidents involving chemicals and other hazardous materials.
The voluntary donation of equipment to the FFD is a Supplemental Environmental Project, which is an environmentally beneficial project or activity that is not required by law, but that a party agrees to undertake as part of the settlement of an enforcement action. Such projects or activities go beyond what could legally be required of the respondent, and secure environmental and/or public health benefits in addition to those achieved by compliance with the law.
Clean Air Act Risk Management Program
EPA’s Clean Air Act RMP regulations work to prevent accidental chemical releases in our communities and the environment. Facilities holding more than a threshold quantity of a regulated substance are required to comply with EPA’s RMP regulations. The regulations require owners or operators of covered facilities to develop and implement an RMP and to submit a risk management plan to EPA. Learn more about the Risk Management Program rule.
Clean Air Act National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative
Thousands of facilities nationwide make, use, and store regulated substances, including anhydrous ammonia. Catastrophic accidents at ammonia refrigeration facilities—historically about 150 each year—result in fatalities and serious injuries, evacuations, and other harm to human health and the environment. EPA inspects these facilities as part of the Agency’s National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative, which seeks to reduce risk to human health and the environment by decreasing the likelihood of accidental releases and mitigating the consequences of chemical accidents. Learn about the National Enforcement and Compliance Initiative on reducing risks of accidental releases at industrial and chemical facilities.
Additional Information
For more information on reporting possible violations of environmental laws and regulations visit EPA’s enforcement reporting website.
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