THE EcoWaste Coalition, an advocate for chemical safety and environmental health, urged local government units (LGUs) to immediately inspect ice and cold storage plants following the recent ammonia gas leak incidents in Metro Manila and Batangas province.

On February 3, an ammonia gas leak from an ice plant in Navotas City led to the death of two workers, the hospitalization of close to 100 people and the evacuation of some 3,000 nearby residents.  A leakage from an ice plant in Lian, Batangas on the same day caused the plants at an adjacent creek to wither and fish to die.