EPA reaches $1.1 million settlement with Home Market Foods after 2022 deadly ammonia release in MA

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has reached a settlement with Home Market Foods, under which the company paid a $1.1 million civil penalty. The company violated federal Clean Air Act (CAA) chemical safety requirements at its food processing plant in Norwood, Mass., and its cold storage warehouse in Norton, Mass. These violations involve the safe handling of anhydrous ammonia, a hazardous chemical used for cooling and refrigeration.

This enforcement action follows a chemical release at the Norwood facility on December 19, 2022. While contractors were working near refrigeration machinery, anhydrous ammonia was accidentally released, resulting in one contractor being killed and another badly injured. EPA inspected the facilities and reviewed the company’s risk management program, finding that the company had not met several of the CAA’s accident prevention requirements.

EPA also found that the company did not quickly report the December 2022 release and another ammonia release in 2024 to the proper federal officials. Since the accident, the company has made significant safety improvements at both facilities.

“Workers and communities deserve to be protected from dangerous chemical releases, which can injure and kill people,” said Mark Sanborn, U.S. EPA New England Regional Administrator. “EPA is taking this action to hold the company accountable and to ensure that other companies comply with chemical safety laws at their facilities.”

In addition to the assessed penalty, the company completed several safety improvements under compliance orders issued in 2024 and 2025. Under the 2025 order, Home Market Foods is also required to hire an independent expert to check the condition and safety of key refrigeration systems at both locations. This will help ensure the facilities are operating safely moving forward.

Why This Matters:

Thousands of facilities nationwide, make, use, or store extremely hazardous substances, like ammonia. The CAA requires facilities to implement risk management plans as part of their operations for using substances that pose the greatest risk of harm from accidental releases. Failure to do so can result in the accidental release of extremely hazardous substances that can cause serious injuries and fatalities, evacuations, and shelter-in-place orders. EPA prioritizes compliance with chemical accident risk reduction plans and is one of EPA’s national enforcement and compliance initiatives.