| Spill Report Information |
| Spill Number: |
A-170-2005 |
| Report Status: |
Final Report |
| MCD Town: |
THOMASTON |
| Local Name: |
THOMASTON |
| Primary Responder: |
GLEN WALL |
| Primary Product: |
AMMONIA {76} - 6000.00 ACTUAL
|
| Subject/Owner: |
DRAGON PRODUCTS CO - - |
| I. EVENT |
| Spill Info |
| Type: |
Hazardous Material Incident |
| Source: |
Land Transportation - Tank Truck |
| Cause: |
Mechanical Failure - Valve |
| Spill Date/Time |
| Spill Date/Time: |
04/19/2005
|
| Reporter Type/Detection Method |
| Type: |
Public Official {4} |
| Method: |
Visual Product |
| Reported Date/Time |
| Reported Date/Time: |
04/19/2005
|
| Subject/Spiller (Potential Responsible Party) |
| Contact: |
DRAGON PRODUCTS CO
US RT 1
PO BOX 191
THOMASTON ME 04861 USA
|
| Comment: |
|
| Other Contact |
| Contact: |
THOMASTON, TOWN OF - FIRE DEPT
THOMASTON ME 04861 USA
|
| Comment: |
|
| Primary Responder and Other Employees |
| Contact(s): |
GLEN WALL (Primary Responder)
|
| Comment: |
No Further Response Action Expected |
| II. SITE |
| Location |
| Location Type: |
Business - Industrial {ID} |
| Name: |
DRAGON PRODUCTS |
| Street Address: |
RT 1 |
| MCD Town: |
THOMASTON |
| Local Name: |
THOMASTON |
| State/Province: |
ME |
| Spill Point |
| Spill Point: |
|
| Wells and Media Affected |
| Wells Affected: |
0 Wells Impacted/ 0 Wells At Risk
|
| Media Affected: |
Inland Surface Water {I}
|
| Tanks Involved |
| Tanks Involved: |
NONE
|
| III. CLEANUP |
| Product Reported: |
AMMONIA {76} |
| Products Found/Amount Spilled: |
AMMONIA {76} - 6000.00 ACTUAL
(Primary Product) |
| Material Recovered: |
NONE
|
| Recovery/Treatment Method: |
Treatment in Place {I}
|
| Cleanup DTREE: |
|
| Disposal Information: |
contaminated material reused in cement making process |
| IV. NARRATIVE |
|
On 4-19-05, there was a spill of 6,000 gallons of aqueous Ammonium Hydroxide at the Dragon Products cement kiln in Thomaston. This Ammonium Hydroxide (AH) had a concentration of 19% and was being used in an experimental application designed to reduce emission from their stack. The AH was being stored in a tank truck (i.e. tanker) that was being used as a bulk storage tank. There is some question as to wether or not this tank truck was road worthy. In any event, the contractors touched or loosened the clean out valve and this resulted in the sudden release of 6,000 gallons of AH through an approximate four inch pipe. These two contractors were taken to the Hospital for treatment. An internal report by Dragon indicates that the truck did not have a shutoff device. The liquid spilled onto the parking lot into a storm drain which empties into Quarry #1. Area fire departments responded. The leak could not be stopped. Sand and or crushed limestone was dumped onto the liquid on the parking lot. This material was later used in the cement making process. The AH has a high pH and nearly all of this liquid drained into quarry #1. From a cliff overlooking the quarry we could see the plume of AH discoloring the water in the quarry. The water from this quarry eventually dumps into two constructed wetlands. From there the water flows into a nearby brook and large wetland. The level of nitrates has to be below 2 ml/l to discharge into the natural wetland. The quarry has an estimated quantity of 50,000,000 gallons. This quarry water is used as cooling water. The intake for the cooling water is ten to thirteen feet below the water surface. By continuing to use this water for cooling it will aid in the mixing process. Dragon consulted with several experts, including Woodlot Alternatives and DEP staff. An aeration pump was placed at the quarry to assist in the natural oxidation of the ammonia. Also some of this water was used as dust control and fertilizer water for the lawns. Phil Garwood of the DEP was also involved with phone conversations with Dragon concerning the nitrate emission to the wetland. On 4-21-05, pH measurements taken at the quarry were in the 8.88 to 9.07 range. The day before the spill the pH was 8.11 to 8.4. Ammonia concentrations, collected at the quarry, on 4-20-5, were 37.2 mg/l. Ann Thayer collected samples for the next six weeks. See attached table. It appears that over a very long time the Ammonia levels dropped in the quarry and it appears through the limited data that there was no discharge of Ammonia to the stream or natural wetland.
|
| V.ATTACHMENTS |
| Attachment Type |
Description |
| Paper Attach |
E-mail transmission from Ann Thayer |
| Paper Attach |
Site Diagram of Manhole and drainage at SPILL Site. |
| Paper Attach |
DEP Initial Spill Report Form |
| Paper Attach |
Flash Fax from NRC..incident report # 756205 |
| Paper Attach |
Field Notes taken by GW |
| Paper Attach |
Graph of ammonia concentration at Quarry No. 1, provided by Dragon |
| Paper Attach |
sample data sheets (7 sample dates) from Maine Environmental Laboratory, via. Dragon |
| Paper Attach |
Table One...list of sample results...by GW |
| Paper Attach |
A Dragon Internal Document. ref. spill report to Ann Thayer dated 4-19-2005 |
| Paper Attach |
MSDS of Aqua Ammonia (19%), from GAC Chemical Corp., provided by Dragon Products |
