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