A Seattle-based company that runs a seafood cold storage facility in Unalaska will upgrade its refrigeration system, improve its hazmat response and pay a $10,000 fine as part of a federal settlement over a dangerous ammonia leak last year.
The Environmental Protection Agency said Tuesday it reached an agreement with Kloosterboer Dutch Harbor LLC over violations related to the Dec. 3 incident that seriously injured a worker. But the company didn't alert the National Response Center or the Alaska Emergency Response Commission until more than 46 hours after the ammonia leak.
The company's failure to make a quick notification about the release put first responders at risk, the EPA said. A line inside a freezer leaked 125 pounds of anhydrous ammonia, which attacks the skin, eyes, throat and lungs and can kill, according to the EPA.
Under the settlement, the upgraded system will include leak detectors to trigger alarms and an automatic shutoff. An emergency exhaust system will be activated. The company also will purchase hazmat equipment for Unalaska's Department of Public Safety and will provide hazmat training to two company employees.
The cost for the environmental improvements is $26,000, on top of the $10,008 penalty, the EPA said.