Jefferson City, Mo. — Missouri officials believe they have identified and controlled the problem that caused anhydrous ammonia contamination to propane delivered to as many as nine counties in southwest Missouri. According to the Missouri Propane Gas Commission (MPGC), the propane was delivered between Nov. 30 and Dec. 14 by a trucking company with a trailer not properly cleaned after being used to haul ammonia. “We have notified the companies which received a contaminated load that they must ensure the affected consumers discontinue use of unvented gas appliances and gas ranges,” said Denny Carroll, MPGC executive director. “All customers who received a tainted delivery have already been contacted by their propane suppliers.” In many of the locations, tanks have already been changed out. The commission’s order also requires companies to replace any damaged piping, fittings, or valves. The contaminated product will either be hauled back to a refinery for reprocessing or burned according to approved protocols. The commission’s concerns are that ammonia may be corrosive to the brass and copper used in many valves on propane systems. There is also an inhalation concern that ammonia can act as a pulmonary irritant, especially in sensitive individuals. While the amount of ammonia is small, the commission is acting with an abundance of caution. Carroll also said both retail companies have voluntarily begun cleanup and are working diligently to resolve this issue. Carroll said the companies that delivered the tainted gas were providing fresh tanks to their customers and sending the contaminated tanks to a reprocessing company in Texas, where they’ll attempt to remove the ammonia. “We’re in the middle of the investigation, so at this time I would just as soon not identify the responsible party,” Carroll added, “It’s a very, very seldom occurrence.”
Transparency Across the Fertilizer Value-Chain