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Causes of Agricultural Chemical Spills

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.

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Causes of Agricultural Chemical Spills

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  1. Department of Agriculture Causes of Agricultural Chemical Spills

  2. Anhydrous Ammonia • Quick coupler failure. • Failure of excess flow valve. • Unseated valves. • Pressure release valves. • Theft & Vandalism.

  3. AA Quick Coupler Failure • Nurse tank hitch problems. • Maintenance important.

  4. Other AA Causes of Releases • Temperature variations cause valves to unseat. • Pressure release valves. • Theft and vandalism.

  5. Transportation Accidents • Brake failure. • Applicator entered ditch. • Sump ruptured releasing load.

  6. Transportation Accidents • Corner taken to fast. • Truck tipped over in ditch releasing dry fertilizer. • Note cleanup where fertilizer once was.

  7. Transportation Accidents • Truck tip over. • 3,000 gallons UAN and gallons of Harness. • Into ditch and field.

  8. Transportation Accidents • 110 yards excavated. • Buried facilities in ditch.

  9. Transportation Accidents • Flatbed truck hauling 4-1300 gallon tanks. • Entered driveway and dropped wheels into ditch. • 2,000 gallons UAN lost to ditch.

  10. Transportation Accidents • Underground facilities present. • Sandy soils. • Excavation required.

  11. Containment • Hose on N-Serve pump left outside dike. • Product siphoned out of minibulk and outside of dike.

  12. Unknown • Alleged dumping of rinsate. • Soil tested high in acetochlor and other herbicides.

  13. Applicator Hose Failure • Small release of Liberty tankmix. • Damage to trees and lawn.

  14. Dumping • Dumping of water without knowing that it contained some fertilizer.

  15. Mobile Tender Tank Failure • Older “Raven” yellow bodied tanks with white caps. • Sloshing action of liquid fertilizer blows out white cap.

  16. Storage Tank Failure

  17. Storage Tank Failure • Small hole in base of tank. • Small release over long period of time. • Source of groundwater contamination.

  18. Storage Tank Failure • Vandalism. Tube gauge cut and valve jammed open. • 5,000 gallons 7-21-7 released to containment.

  19. 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.

  20. Unsecured loads. • Minibulk hose siphoning herbicide along highway. • Pumps left on or accidentally engaged releasing product. Fertilizer applicator drive-wheel engaging.

  21. Delivery Responsibility. • Semi truck delivery of UAN to bulk tank. • Pump turned on without opening bulk valving. • 800 gallon release.

  22. Improper Storage. • Valve on minibulk left slightly open. • Parked overnight near bulk containment. • 40 gallons Prowl leached down outside concrete containment.

  23. Improper Storage

  24. Acts of Nature • Comfrey Tornado. • Debris broke off pressure relief valving.

  25. We used to see….. • Mild steel plumbing on fertilizer bulk tanks causing spills. • These types of spills rarely occur. Now…..

  26. We used to see….. • Spills occurring during transport. • Spills occurring during transport. We still see....

  27. We will see….. • Vandalism. Especially with anhydrous ammonia facilities.

  28. Improperly secured load… The chance of spills can be reduced.

  29. The Anhydrous Ammonia Meth Process • Drug Enforcement Administration-Video. • Ammonia added to processed ephedrine and lithium (battery). Imagine garden hoses duct tape and an igloo cooler

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