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EPA Settles Clean Air Act Violations Claim Against Wawona Frozen Foods
. The violation claims pertain to the facility’s anhydrous ammonia refrigeration system that is used for cold storage and freezing of certain fruits.
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Wawona Frozen Foods has complied with most safety concerns but there are still remaining compliance tasks that are due by end of year.Douglas Rissing/iStock/Getty Images Plus via Getty Images
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has settled with Wawona Frozen Foods for claims of violations of the Clean Air Act. Wawona, based in Clovis, CA, is a grower and processor of fresh frozen fruit products.
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 Martha Guzman, EPA Pacific Southwest regional administrator. “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 in Fresno, CA. 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 did make safety improvements; 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 but there still are remaining compliance tasks that are due before the end of 2024, as required in the 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, which will allow the department to be better prepared and respond more effectively to incidents involving chemicals and other hazardous materials. (This voluntary donation is a Supplemental Environmental Project, an environmentally beneficial project/activity that is not required by law, but that a party agrees to undertake as part of the settlement of an enforcement action.)
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