Ice plant pays $169,400 ammonia penalty

USA: The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has announced a settlement with a California-based ice processing company following safety issues with its ammonia refrigeration system.

An inspection in 2018 of the Arctic Glacier ice processing, production and storage facility in Fremont found that the piping, operating equipment, and safety systems of the refrigeration system were not in compliance with regulatory requirements. The system contained about 14,000lb (6350kg) of ammonia.

The EPA has certified that the facility is now in compliance with Clean Air Act regulations, with Arctic Glacier agreeing to pay a $169,400 penalty as part of the settlement.