Board OK with expanded
use of gas storage facility
By dave benjamin
Staff Writer
MANALAPAN — A firm which manufactures gases and chemicals has received approval from the Planning Board to expand the number of different kinds of gas products which are stored and distributed from its township depot.
"Air Products is the world’s only combined gases and chemicals company," said attorney Bruce Lubitz, representing Air Products and Chemicals Inc., Allentown, Pa., the owner of property in an industrial complex on Route 33 east near Woodville Road. "We’re here because the code officials asked us to come for a clarification of what we intend to do and we want to be responsive to that request."
Lubitz said, "For the fourth consecutive year, Air Products has achieved the best safety record in the category of total rechargeables among large-scale chemical manufacturers in the United States."
The firm received site plan approval from the township in 1987 for a helium transfer station and over the past 15 years has been inspected many times by township fire officials, according to the applicant’s representative. As part of a consolidation process, the firm would like to bring in additional types of compressed gases, including nitrogen, carbon dioxide, argon, krypton and hexafluoroethane, a gas which is similar to freon. All of the gases, which would be stored for transfer, according to the attorney, are of the same nature as helium.
Lubitz said there would be no sales of the products from this facility. Additionally, he said there would be no more than 20 trucks per day.
"Cylinders will be brought (to the center) and they will not be repackaged here," said the attorney. "They will be stored and then distributed from this site."
Eugene Y. Ngai, director, compound semiconductor technology, Air Products and Chemicals, told board members that all of the gases which are to be stored at the site are non-flammable. Regarding safety, health or hazard risk, Ngai said, "There is no toxicity. They are not flammable and they’re not reactive."
Ngai said all of the gases will be stored and sealed in cylinders so there should be no reason for anyone to smell them. He noted the gases will not be repackaged.
Lubitz said the gases will be distributed to customers in the area which use them.
At the present time, 15 trucks use the 22,000-square-foot facility on a daily bases and it was expected that there would be an additional one or two trucks using the site on a daily basis. About 1,800 square feet are used for office space and the remainder is a large area where the gas tanks are stored. All storage is internal, according to the applicant.
Board member Stephen Pine wanted to know how it could be determined that a cylinder was not leaking.
Ngai said the cylinders are tested for leaks with a soap solution.
According to Lubitz, a small leak can be detected by using the soap test and a large leak is usually audible.
In a press release, Dr. Chat Chatterjee, vice president of environment, health, safety and corporate engineering, noted what he called the firm’s excellent safety record.
"We are exceedingly proud of our employees for their commitment to working safely and for their constant vigilance over improving the safety of our operations," said Chatterjee. "Dedication to safety is a fundamental value within the Air Products culture, not only in the United States, but around the world. Our policies and practices are applied globally and the knowledge we gain on such a scale puts us in an even better position to identify, evaluate and correct unsafe conditions before accidents occur. Our focus on safety can never waiver."
Board members approved the plan with the condition that any concerns noted by the fire bureau are satisfied.