Caldwell, Idaho — Rhodes International Inc., which produces frozen cinnamon rolls and other frozen bread products, will pay over $84,000 to settle hazardous chemical reporting violations involving storage of large amounts of anhydrous ammonia at its facility in Caldwell, according to a consent agreement with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. In a statement regarding the fine, EPA said that Rhodes failed to properly report the ammonia storage to the Caldwell Fire Department, the Canyon County Local Emergency Planning Committee, and the State Emergency Response Commission. “Local emergency planners and responders rely on this information to do their jobs. It’s critical information for them to protect the community and themselves when a dangerous chemical release occurs,” said Wally Moon, preparedness and prevention unit manager with the EPA emergency management program in Seattle. The company reportedly failed to file inventory forms with state and local emergency response entities from 2006 through 2009 as required by the federal emergency planning and community right-to-know act (EPCRA).
Regina, Sask. — Agrium Inc. has pleaded guilty to one count under Occupational Health and Safety (OHS) legislation and was fined C$420,000 in Saskatoon Provincial Court on May 28. Agrium pleaded guilty to failure to provide or maintain a system of work or working environment that ensured, as far as is reasonably practicable, the health, safety, and welfare of a worker. The conviction related to an incident that occurred on May 11, 2010, at the Agrium mine in Vanscoy. A worker was killed after being struck in the head by a component that fell from a load being lifted by an overhead crane. Three other charges against the company were stayed. Reportedly, OHS levied the maximum fine, taking into consideration a 2008 fine of $234,000 against Agrium for a death in 2006. In that instance, the employee was injured by falling rock.
Jefferson, Wisc. — The driver of a Helena Chemical Co. semitrailer truck was killed in a rollover crash that closed westbound Interstate 94 in Waukesha County for nearly two-and-a-half hours on Friday, May 25, according to the Wisconsin State Patrol. The mishap happened near mid-day when the 1999 International utility truck, pulling a large plastic tank filled with liquid fertilizer, blew the left front tire. The investigating trooper’s report stated that the blowout caused the driver to lose control of the unit, crossing over the left lane through the median and coming to rest on its roof in the westbound lanes. The tank was carrying 3,500 gallons of what was identified as a weed and feed fertilizer, but this could not be confirmed. The driver was identified as Gordo Oelke, 68, of Fond Du Lac, Wisc. The rollover caused a major westbound traffic tie-up as motorists were required to exit the freeway and travel on state highways before re-entering the interstate. The local press reported that downtown Jefferson had considerable traffic congestion because of the interstate closure.
Yuba City, Calif. — A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation is underway to determine the cause of a cropduster plane crash May 21 in the East Nicolaus area. The pilot, identified as Nathaniel Allen Brown, 50, of Sacramento, was killed instantly. He was reportedly applying zinc fertilizer to a field and was banking and turning back south, and for unknown reasons nosedived into a field. He was working for Farm Air Flying Service and was an experienced pilot. The NTSB investigator, Patrick Jones, told Green Markets that wreckage has been removed from the field and taken to a storage facility until he can do an examination. “At this point in time all we know is that the pilot was applying a product onto the field. It appears that most of it, if not all of it, had been spread, and he was moving onto another field to pick up some more for a different site,” Jones reported. “Witnesses observed him making a tight turn and then descending into the field.” He said the final report won’t be out for a couple more months, and the cause will be determined by the board after the investigation is complete.
Alpaugh, Calif. — Investigators are still puzzled over why a farm employee drove his tractor in front of a fertilizer train here and was killed instantly in the collision on May 11. “We still haven’t determined why he didn’t stop for the train and went over the tracks and got hit by the train,” Tulare County Sheriff’s Detective Keith Matlock told Green Markets. “We have no idea why he didn’t stop. Perhaps he didn’t see the train.” Matlock said the investigation into the death of Javier Loera, 50, is still ongoing and has been turned over to the California Highway Patrol. He said the short-line train was headed west through Alpaugh, which is just west of Highway 42, and was in the process of delivering fertilizer to a nearby mill. Loera, who works for a nearby farm operation, was approaching the railroad tracks on a John Deere tractor. For unknown reasons he failed to stop for the train and entered the railroad tracks directly in front of the oncoming train. The impact forced the tractor off the tracks and killed Loera at the scene. The conductor was identified as Ralph Celedon, 66, of Bakersfield. The West Isle Line is a private contractor-operated railroad that was taken over by Crop Production Services when it acquired Western Farm Services. The line runs for 5.25 miles from Alpaugh to a connection with the BNSF Railway at Stoil. "Our heartfelt condolences go out to Mr. Loera’s friends and family,” said Spencer Harris, CPS regional manager. “Tragically, Mr. Loera passed away as the result of an accident on May 11. The incident took place at the CPS Alpaugh retail location. CPS fully cooperated with the public safety agencies involved in the accident investigation. This has been a very difficult few weeks for all of us with CPS and the community."
Washington — The Sulphur Institute reports that it recently welcomed International Raw Materials Ltd. (IRM), Philadelphia, as a new member. IRM President W.P. “Tip” O’Neill noted that IRM, which already provides raw material sulfur in various parts of the world and sulfur-containing fertilizers elsewhere, is expanding its interest in sulfur. IRM markets and distributes fertilizers and related services for many North American, Pacific Rim, African, and European producers through its global network of distribution assets.
Vancouver — Ostara Nutrient Recovery Technologies Inc., a clean water company that recovers phosphorus and nitrogen from industrial and municipal wastewaters to create fertilizers, on May 31 announced the completion of a US$14.5 million private equity financing. Led by VantagePoint Capital Partners, a global investor in energy innovation and efficiency, the financing also included existing Ostara investor and London-based Frog Capital, and a group of new investors including Waste Resources Fund L.P., a fund managed by FourWinds Capital Management. Ostara’s Pearl® technology recovers unwanted nutrients such as phosphorus and nitrogen from wastewater and transforms them into an environmentally friendly, slow-release fertilizer, marketed as Crystal Green®. Ostara currently has four commercial nutrient recovery facilities in operation in the U.S. and three additional facilities under construction, including its first Canadian facility in Saskatoon, Sask., and its first European facility, for Thames Water, in London. Ostara says the new funds will be used to commercialize a significant industrial opportunity that it has been developing for the past 24 months.
Walnut Creek, Calif. — Wilbur-Ellis Co. announced that it has acquired the assets of Washington-based Farm and Forest Helicopter Service Inc., which has been servicing the forestry, nursery, and Christmas tree businesses in Oregon and Washington since 1964. Wilbur-Ellis said the acquisition will be part of its Agribusiness Division’s Northwest operations, and will increase its “already strong footprint in the region, expand its aerial application services, and add to its forestry customer base in the Northwest U.S.” Wilbur-Ellis has several agribusiness locations near Farm and Forest’s operations in Napavine, Wash. Wilbur-Ellis said current shortages of aerial application services in the Oregon and Washington areas, and opportunities to expand the business into tree fruit and other agricultural crops, make this an exciting acquisition for the company. “One of the key drivers for this acquisition was to combine our synergies for the benefit of the customers,” said Ken Manning, senior vice president of the Northwest operations. “They are truly going to appreciate the transparency of doing business with us and all the strengths that Wilbur-Ellis has to offer. Wilbur-Ellis will also greatly benefit from Farm and Forest’s well-qualified pilots and aerial application expertise in forestry.” Dan Foster, president of Farm and Forest, said his business has been growing steadily over the last few years. “We know that in order to get to the next level and provide our customers with all the valuable resources available, including technology, Wilbur-Ellis will be able to give us the means to stay competitive in this market,” Foster said. This is the second aerial business acquired by Wilbur-Ellis in the Northwest. Smith Air, also located in Eastern Washington, was purchased in April 2011. Wilbur-Ellis currently has other aerial operations in California, Nebraska, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Texas. Wilbur-Ellis’ Agribusiness Division generates nearly $1.8 billion in sales revenue and has 160 locations throughout the U.S.
Tel Aviv — Israel’s Supreme Court has dismissed an appeal from the country’s environmental lobbies against a government decision on royalty payments by Israel Chemicals Ltd.’s (ICL) Dead Sea Works subsidiary. Under the terms of the agreement reached in January, ICL is to cover 80 percent of the cost of removing salt from the Dead Sea’s pool number 5, where water levels have been rising and threatening to flood nearby hotels. The total cost of the project is put at $1 billion. The government would cover the remaining 20 percent of the cost, though this would be partially offset by an increase in royalty payments on potash production from 5 to 10 percent. The Israel Union for Environmental Defense and the Movement for Quality Government appealed the agreement, arguing that the decision runs counter to public interest and allows the company to continue to exploit the natural resources of the Dead Sea without sufficient environmental protection. The groups also argued that the royalty rate had been set far too low. In response to the court decision, the Israel Union for Environmental Defense said the court did not understand the grave implications the agreement has on the public and on state finances. The organization said in its statement that "by agreeing to this deal, the government will be losing hundreds of millions of dollars that belong to the Israeli public." The statement added that the decision will allow the company to continue its policy of polluting the environment. Meanwhile, Dead Sea Works is moving ahead with the preliminary planning of the conveyor belt and dredging project. Due to the complexity of the project and the lack of local expertise, most of the detailed planning, construction, and equipment will be supplied by foreign companies. The conveyor belt will handle 20 million tons of salt annually at a rate of 4000 tons per hour. Two options – the use of barges or slurry – are currently being considered for dumping the huge quantities of salt back into the northern basin of the Dead Sea, where it will sink to the bottom and does not present a risk. The timetable calls for preliminary planning to be completed by the end of 2013, and actual construction by 2016. It is expected to take two years from the time the process of salt dredging begins until the water level will reach a steady state and cease to threaten the hotels in the region.
Oklahoma City — LSB Industries Inc. said May 29 that its subsidiary, Pryor Chemical Co., has purchased a group of chemical plant components for $6.5 million. This equipment is intended to improve the operation and efficiency of its ammonia plant in Pryor, Okla., and for possible use at certain of its other chemical facility locations. Previously, this equipment was in operation at a chemical production facility in the U.S. LSB said over the next six-to-eight months, it expects to move the equipment from its current location to its appropriate chemical facilities for installation and to shops for refurbishment. The cost to transport, install, and refurbish this equipment has not yet been determined. LSB funded the purchase and intends to fund the other associated costs associated from its working capital.
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