EPA Settles with Oregon Ice Cream Co. over Ammonia Safety Violations
In addition to making facility improvements, company will also pay $55,000 in penalties
SEATTLE — In a settlement announced by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the Oregon Ice Cream Co. has agreed to make safety improvements and upgrade its refrigeration equipment to prevent ammonia refrigerant releases at its manufacturing facility in Eugene, Oregon. The company will also pay $55,000 in penalties for multiple violations of federal safety rules and risk management program requirements designed to prevent chemical emergencies.
“EPA’s Risk Management Program is designed to protect the public from accidental releases of extremely hazardous chemicals,” said Ed Kowalski, director of EPA’s Pacific Northwest Office of Compliance and Enforcement. “Our federal rules, by themselves, will not guarantee safety from chemical accidents. Companies that use toxic chemicals need to take responsibility to prevent, prepare for, and respond to emergencies.”