Del Monte Fresh Produce in Sanger has reached a settlement for ammonia release and emergency response violations, the Environmental Protection Agency says.
The EPA says Del Monte Fresh Produce Inc. violated federal chemical safety and reporting requirements following an ammonia release at its Sanger storage and distribution facility.
The EPA says Del Monte, one of the world’s largest distributors of fresh produce, will pay an $80,000 civil penalty and spend approximately $110,000 to reduce the risk of chemical accidents at its facility.
According to kmph.com¸ the EPA says the facility was inspected after a release of more than 24,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia at the facility in December 2016. During the inspection, EPA found violations of the Clean Air Act’s Risk Management Plan regulations, including deficiencies in the plant’s hazard assessment, mechanical integrity program, compliance audits, and emergency response program.
