Transcript Document

Department of
Agriculture
Causes of Agricultural
Chemical Spills
Anhydrous Ammonia

Quick coupler failure.
 Failure of excess flow
valve.
 Unseated valves.
 Pressure release
valves.
 Theft & Vandalism.
AA Quick Coupler Failure

Nurse tank hitch problems.
 Maintenance important.
Other AA Causes of Releases

Temperature variations
cause valves to unseat.
 Pressure release valves.
 Theft and vandalism.
Transportation Accidents

Brake failure.
 Applicator entered ditch.
 Sump ruptured releasing
load.
Transportation Accidents

Corner taken to fast.
 Truck tipped over in
ditch releasing dry
fertilizer.
 Note cleanup where
fertilizer once was.
Transportation Accidents

Truck tip over.
 3,000 gallons UAN and
gallons of Harness.
 Into ditch and field.
Transportation Accidents

110 yards excavated.
 Buried facilities in ditch.
Transportation Accidents

Flatbed truck hauling 41300 gallon tanks.
 Entered driveway and
dropped wheels into ditch.
 2,000 gallons UAN lost to
ditch.
Transportation Accidents

Underground facilities
present.
 Sandy soils.
 Excavation required.
Containment

Hose on N-Serve
pump left outside
dike.
 Product siphoned out
of minibulk and
outside of dike.
Unknown
 Alleged
dumping of
rinsate.
 Soil tested high in
acetochlor and other
herbicides.
Applicator Hose Failure

Small release of
Liberty tankmix.
 Damage to trees and
lawn.
Dumping

Dumping of water
without knowing that
it contained some
fertilizer.
Mobile Tender Tank Failure
Older “Raven” yellow
bodied tanks with
white caps.
 Sloshing action of
liquid fertilizer blows
out white cap.

Storage Tank Failure
Storage Tank Failure

Small hole in base of
tank.
 Small release over
long period of time.
 Source of groundwater
contamination.
Storage Tank Failure

Vandalism. Tube gauge
cut and valve jammed
open.
 5,000 gallons 7-21-7
released to containment.
Other Bulk Storage Causes.





Manhole cover gasket not installed correctly.
Site gauge damaged and valve not shut completely.
Extreme cold cracks piping.
Undiscovered mild steel appurtanance corroding
through.
Old rusting bulk tank.
Unsecured loads.

Minibulk hose siphoning
herbicide along highway.
 Pumps left on or
accidentally engaged
releasing product.
Fertilizer applicator drivewheel engaging.
Delivery Responsibility.

Semi truck delivery of
UAN to bulk tank.
 Pump turned on without
opening bulk valving.
 800 gallon release.
Improper Storage.

Valve on minibulk left
slightly open.
 Parked overnight near
bulk containment.
 40 gallons Prowl leached
down outside concrete
containment.
Improper Storage
Acts of Nature

Comfrey Tornado.
 Debris broke off pressure
relief valving.
We used to see…..

Mild steel plumbing on fertilizer bulk tanks
causing spills.
Now…..

These types of spills rarely occur.
We used to see…..

Spills occurring during transport.
We still see....

Spills occurring during transport.
We will see…..

Vandalism. Especially with anhydrous ammonia
facilities.
Improperly secured load…
The chance of spills can be reduced.
The Anhydrous Ammonia Meth Process

Drug Enforcement
AdministrationVideo.
 Ammonia added to
processed ephedrine
and lithium (battery).
Imagine garden hoses
duct tape and an igloo
cooler