- Date:2021-04-01
- Department:Evaluation Management Division
The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has pre-announced that ammonium nitrate and hydrofluoric acid will be listed as concerned chemical substances, strict regulations on their handling including the import, manufacture, use, storage, transport and sale will become effective. EPA also designated them to be as hazardous concerned chemical substances to strengthen the risk management before a possible incident.
The EPA points out that ammonium nitrate and hydrofluoric acid are currently regulated under various authorities, but those regulations do not include flow tracking and chemical accident prevention and response. By announcing these two chemical substances as concerned chemical substances, the EPA will be able to obtain complete information on flows of chemical substances including import, domestic transportation, storage and use after the substances are announced, and so fill up the regulatory gap. The EPA hopes that all competent authorities can work together to reinforce the management on high-risk handling activities and risk management, to fulfill chemical substance source management and chemical safety.
Ammonium nitrate is commonly used in agriculture as a high-nitrogen fertilizer, or as an ingredient of explosive mixtures used in mining, civil construction. However, improper storage management can lead to explosive accidents, such as the large explosion at the port in Beirut, Lebanon in year 2020. On the other hand, ammonium nitrate is a raw material for producing nitrous oxide (laughing gas), which is the first concerned chemical substance listed by the EPA. Ammonium nitrate decomposes when heated to form high-purity nitrous oxide. Therefore, managing the use of ammonium nitrate can also manage the source of laughing gas production.
Hydrogen fluoride dissolves in water to form aqueous hydrofluoric acid solution, commonly known as bone dissolving water or white bone acid, which is corrosive and irritating to the skin. It is also widely used in semiconductor chip etching, cleaning and other related industries. If the skin is exposed to concentrated hydrofluoric acid, it will immediately cause pain, whitish discoloration, redness and swelling, and even severe necrosis and ulceration. In addition to the domestic incidents caused by improper use which result in injuries and deaths, some people have also been injured under attacks with concentrated hydrofluoric acid solutions. After hydrogen fluoride is regulated, plants should receive approval documents for use, approval documents are also required for chemical supply shops to sell hydrofluoric acid solution in order to reduce chemical risk.
The EPA explained, so as to prevent safety and health hazard caused by improper use and abuse of ammonium nitrate and hydrofluoric acid, “Five Yes and Two No” control measure is proposed, which includes “Yes to obtaining approval, labeling, recording every transaction, doing monthly declaration, risk prevention and response plans: and No to online transactions and using without approval”. Handling activities such as manufacture, import, sale and storage, from upstream to downstream, should not be performed without approval documents. Moreover, if the handling quantity exceeds designated graded handling quantity, the handler should comply with the risk prevention and response plans regulations. If a handler starts to handle ammonium nitrate or hydrofluoric acid after the announced date, buffer period does not apply.
In addition, due to differences between competent authorities in regulations on threshold and frequency for declaration. After ammonium nitrate is announced as concerned chemical substance, in order to obtain real time storage information and to strengthen risk response management, any handler who handles ammonium nitrate within one month of the announced date should record every transaction online and declare monthly.
The EPA adds, due to chemical and physical properties of ammonium nitrate and hydrofluoric acid, they are designated as “hazardous” concerned chemical substances. If the handling quantity exceeds designated graded handling quantity, the handler should comply with regulations regarding risk prevention and response plans such as to report risk prevention and response plans, to purchase liability insurance, to train emergency responders, to establish mutual aid groups, to keep emergency response, detection and alarm equipment, to submit transport manifests. These regulations are proposed in order to achieve risk management targets of reinforcing the accident response, risk prevention, transportation and safety management.
Heavy penalty is imposed by EPA. If the responsible party fails to handle ammonium nitrate and hydrofluoric acid in compliance with the regulations, the person shall be fined from NT$ 30,000 to 300,000. If the responsible party causes death or endangers the health of other person, life imprisonment or at least 7 years of imprisonment can be imposed with a fine of NT$ 10 million at most. The responsible party who does not comply with regulations regarding risk prevention and response plans shall be fined from NT$ 30,000 to 500,000. The responsible party who does not purchase liability insurance or keep emergency response, detection and alarm equipment shall be fined from NT$1 million to 5 million.
