Danisco Ingredients, USA - Executive Summary |
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DANISCO INGREDIENTS USA- NEW CENTURY, KS 1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY Danisco Ingredients USA, Inc. specializes in the development and supply of total solutions for a wide range of food applications and has plants located across the globe. Danisco Ingredients operates a food additive manufacturing and processing facility in New Century, Kansas. The New Century facility distills monoglycerides for use in food products. On site, Danisco Ingredients has an ammonia refrigeration system which contains anhydrous ammonia, a regulated hazardous substance, for the refrigeration of various food products made at the facility. The maximum intended inventory of ammonia on site is above the threshold quantity listed in 40 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) '68.130. Since the quantity of ammonia exceeds the threshold quantity, Danisco Ingredients is required to implement a Risk Management Program (RMP) at the New Century facility which includes three (3) major elements: hazard assessment, prevention program, and emergency response program. The submission of the RMPlan presents the details of the RMP compliance measures conducted by Danisco Ingredients. The required RMP information was electronically submitted to the United States Environmental Protection Agency (U.S. EPA) in a timely manner before the deadline of June 21, 1999. Danisco Ingredients is also subject to OSHA's Process Safety Management Program (PSM). Based on the information presented in this report, Danisco Ingredients is subject to Program Level 3 requirements of the RMP regulation. 1.1 Accidental Release Prevention and Emergency Response Policies Danisco Ingredients attaches importance to creating and sustaining long-term environmental solutions based on a general environmental policy: * Danisco Ingredients respects the fact that development, production, and trade influence the environment. * Danisco Ingredients invests in developing environmentally friendly products and processes by using cleaner technolog y. * Danisco Ingredients will, by making regular technical improvements and providing training and motivation, create a safe environment for our employees * Danisco Ingredients communicates environmental objectives, initiatives and results, internally and externally. Danisco Ingredients is committed to the protection of the environment in our routine operations and emergency responses. Our prevention and emergency response practices are developed to protect the safety and health of the public as well as our own employees. It is our policy to comply with applicable laws, and to support and work with local emergency response agencies. 1.2 Description of Danisco Ingredients and the Regulated Substance Handled Danisco Ingredients operates a food ingredient manufacturing and processing facility in New Century, Kansas. The New Century facility produces distilled monoglycerides for use in food products. The ammonia refrigeration system provides the necessary cooling for the processin g of the product. In addition, the ammonia refrigeration system is utilized to provide cooling for the plant itself. 1.3 Worst Case Scenario Section '68.25 of the RMP Regulation defines a worst-case scenario as a release of the largest quantity of a regulated substance from a vessel or process line failure that results in the greatest distance to a specified endpoint. At Danisco Ingredients, the worst-case scenario is identified to be the release of the largest vessel containing ammonia. The largest tank (2,950 lbs) is assumed to instantaneously release the entire contents in a worst-case accidental release scenario. The ammonia will release into an enclosed building and will then volatilize into the atmosphere. Modeling of this release was performed using the EPA's dispersion modeling software RMP*Comp and shows that the toxic endpoint will reach an impact distance of 0.7 miles. This release would affect residential populations and industrial areas. The alternative release scenario is based on a 1/4" hole in the process piping. This failure will conservatively assume that 5,400 pounds of ammonia will release for one hour from the roof of the facility (30 feet above ground). As stated in Section 1.6 of this document, Danisco Ingredients is a non-responding facility and would be required to call in the appropriate personnel to respond to the release. Modeling of this release was performed using the EPA's dispersion modeling software RMP*Comp and shows that the toxic endpoint will reach an impact radius of 0.3 miles. This release would also affect industrial areas. 1.4 The General Accidental Release Prevention Program and Chemical-Specific Prevention Steps Danisco Ingredients has specific process controls in-place to minimize the risks of spills. Danisco Ingredients has a preventative maintenance software program in place to address maintenance of all vital parts of the plant's day to day operations. In addition, there are many safety controls inst alled within the system. These include an interlock system, alarms, and ammonia detectors located within the ammonia refrigeration system. 1.5 Five year Accident History In the past five years, there have been no accidental releases of ammonia as outlined in '68.42 of the RMP Regulations. 1.6 The Emergency Response Program Danisco Ingredients maintains a written Emergency Plan to help assure timely, safe, compliant responses in the event of an emergency. Danisco Ingredients is classified as a non responding facility as listed in the Emergency Response Plan. Danisco Ingredients will ensure the safety of the employees and notify the appropriate responders in the event of a release. Danisco Ingredients is coordinated with the local fire department and with the Johnson County LEPC. 1.7 Planned Changes to Improve Safety Danisco Ingredients makes safety a first priority in its every day operations to ensure a safe working environment for all of its employees. Danisco Ingredie nts is committed to continuously improving the facility's safety and working practices through employee involvement and development. A Process Hazard Assessment (PHA) was recently performed at the Danisco Ingredients facility. Recommendations from that PHA are being implemented which will improve the safety of the ammonia process as well as reduce the chances and magnitude of any ammonia release. |