The environmental group EcoWaste Coalition urged local government units (LGUs) to conduct safety checks in ice and cold storage plants in their areas of jurisdiction following the ammonia leak and fire in Navotas City last Monday.
The group pushed for safety checks in ammonia-using facilities as National Poison Prevention Week is observed from June 19 to 23, 2023.
“We urge our Mayors to instruct concerned department heads to undertake safety checks in industrial facilities using ammonia as refrigerant such as ice and cold storage plants to prevent ammonia leaks and explosions, which can put the lives of workers and residents at grave risk,” said EcoWaste Coalition national coordinator Aileen Lucero.
“As these facilities are often located near or within residential areas, it is imperative that ammonia poisoning prevention policies and procedures, including emergency response plans, are effectively communicated and complied with,” she added.
In line with the people’s right to know and to be protected from harm, local authorities and facility operators should ensure that barangay officials and residents are informed of the poisoning risks in ammonia-based refrigeration systems and the measures in place to keep ice and cold storage plants safe for host communities, the group said.
In June 19, over 20 people were rushed to different hospitals following an ammonia leak at the Icy Point Cold Storage in Navotas City, which later caught fire.
Ammonia, particularly anhydrous ammonia, is a common refrigerant used in facilities engaged in ice making, beverage and food manufacturing, and in cold storage or refrigerated warehousing.
Exposure to ammonia, a colorless, corrosive and highly irritating gas with suffocating smell, can irritate or burn the nose, throat and respiratory tract, eyes and skin, and cause dizziness and nausea among victims, according to material safety data sheets. Exposure to high concentrations of ammonia can be fatal.
Ammonia gas leak incidents have grabbed the headlines through the years, the Coalition lamented.