Waterloo Times

The Environmental Protection Agency found that an Iowa fertilizer distributor, Farmers Union Cooperative, did not comply with regulations regarding anhydrous ammonia, a regulated toxic substance.

"Violations also included the company's failure to update a hazard review, failure to maintain operating procedures, and failure to perform and maintain compliance audits," the EPA said via a press release.

The Farmers Union Cooperative responded to EPA by taking the necessary steps to comply with the federal Clean Air Act. The press release also mentioned approximately 150 catastrophic accidents occur at regulated facilities each year. These accidents result in death, injury, major property damage, evacuations, shelter-in-place or damage to the environment.

The Cooperative is expected to pay $52,000 in penalties for the violations, according to Law Street Media.

The cooperative stores around 457,000 pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Violations also included the company's failure to update a hazard review, failure to maintain operating procedures and failure to perform and maintain compliance audits, according to the press release.