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11/15/10 1500hrs update 11/15/2010 Site Update
At the request of MEDEP, OSC Bazenas mobilized on November 15, 2010 to the abandoned Cooper Brothers apple processing facility in Turner, Maine to investigate a refrigeration system that is leaking ammonia. At 1200, OSC Bazenas reported the following from the site:
11/15/10 2000hrs update 11/15/2010 Site Update
11/15/10
11/16/2010 update 11/18/2010 Action Memo
Specialty contractor resources have been secured by ERRS. American Refrigeration will provide two technical refrigeration specialists to assit with stranfer of anhydrous ammonia from the building refrig system to a transporter for re-use. Tanner, Inc is the manufacturere/transporter for the ammonia. All contractor resources will be on site 11/17/10 @ 0700 to begin set up for transfer of liquid ammonia to the tanker.
11/17/2010 update 11/18/2010 Site Update
EPA OSC, WestonSolutions,EPI (ERRS team sub), American Refrigeration Corp (ARC), and Tanner Inc personnel on site to transfer liquid anhydrous ammonia fro the Cooper Bros refrigeration system to a tanker for tranportation and off site re-use. Site preparations and mechanical/physical connections completed at 1130hrs. Health and safety protocols were thoroughly briefed to all personnel. PPE level B employed for most operations today. Transfer of ammmonia began at 1330 hrs and was completed at 1630hrs. A total of 300 gallons (approx 1575 lbs.) of liquid ammonia were recovered from the refrig system. ME DEP Blanchard was at the site in the afternoon. After securing the building for the night, all personnel departed the site at1730 hrs.
11/18/2010 Update 11/18/2010 Site Update
EPA OSC, WestonSolutions (START), EPI (ERRS team sub), and American Refrigeration Corp (ARC) personnel were on site to remove residual anhydrous ammonia from the Cooper Bros refrigeration system. The remaining ammonia was transferred under its own pressure by 1/2 inch hose and vented into drums of water. Ammonia is very soluble in water, but raises the pH of the water to nearly 12 as saturation is reached. ARC personnel were familiar with the venting process and monitored the drums very closely. START provided air monitoring. There were 12 drums of ammonia water generated today for eventual disposal. Operational difficulties prevented the completing of the removal of the remaining ammonia due to the cool temperaures and lack of functional heaters. The work crews are returning tomorrow to complete the job.
11/19/2010 update 11/21/2010 Site Update
OSC Sherrin, Westonsolutions (START), EPI (ERRS) and ARC (subcont. tech spec) were on site at 0800 hrs. The refrigeration system and drums of waste ammonia water had been left to off-gas overnight inside the secured building. Air monitoring inside the closed building indicated levels oh ammonia over 100ppm. All entries to the building were initially conductedin level B PPE. Two hours after opening doors, the building had ventilated enough to allow downgrade to Level C PPE. ARC and EPI continued venting the remaining anhydrous ammonia from the refrigeration system into 275 gallon totes of water. By 1400 hrs, all of the remaining anhydrous ammonia had been removed from the system. ERRS personnel also staged all the small containers and drums of other materials in the warehouse for eventual pickup and disposal by the MEDEP. The vent port on the refrigeration system was left open to allow the system to breath.
AT 1500 the building was secured and all personnel departed. ERRS is preparing to secure bids for disposal of the ammonia water. ERRS personnel will visit the building daily to monitor ammonia levels inside and out until the levels are below 10 ppm (1/10th of the PEL).
11/20/2010 11/21/2010 Site Update
ERRS personnel conducted air monitoring at the Cooper Bros facility at 0900hrs. The levels will be checked daily until they diminish to below 10ppm. Levels in the main warehouse were approximately 50ppm of ammonia, likely as a result of the ventilation of ammonia from drums and totes that were allowed to offgas overnight. All containers will be closed overnight.
11/21/2010 update 11/21/2010 Site Update
ERRS personnel conducted air monitoring for ammonia at 0830hrs today. Levels in the main warehouse were below 5ppm. Levels in the ammonia pump room were approximately 25ppm due to residual gas in the piping that will dissipate over time. ERRS will continue daily monitoring.
11/22/2010 update 11/29/2010 Site Update
At 1600hrs, ERRS reported that the ammonia levels in the main warehouse were 4-5 ppm, but the ammonia room was sill elevated to over 20ppm. Monitoring will continue. ERRS continues to work on arranging transportation and disposal of the ammonia water.
11/24/2010 update 11/29/2010 Site Update
At 1500hrs, ERRS reported that the ammonia levels in the main warehouse were 2-3 ppm, and the levels in the ammonia room were 5ppm. Based on these lower levels, the monitoring frequency was curtailed. Next measurments will be collected on 11/29/2010.
11/29/2010 update 11/29/2010 Site Update
At 1500hrs, ERRS reported that the ammonia levels remain low - 2-3 ppm in the warehouse and 5ppm in the engine room. Future m onitoring will only occur when ERRS is at the building for waste disposal purposes. Transportation and disposal of the amminia waste has not been set up yet.
12/03/2010 Update 12/13/2010 Site Update
The ammonium hydroxide waste (water containing ammonium) was shipped off-site for reuse. Clean Harbors provided transportation for ten drums (55 gallons each) and one tote (275 gallons) to Spring grove resources Recovery in Cincinatti, Ohio.
