Pubdate: Wed, 26 Feb 2003 Source: Sun Herald (MS) Copyright: 2003, The Sun Herald Contact: http://www.sunherald.com Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/432 Author: Timothy Boone Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/meth.htm (Methamphetamine) CHEMICAL SECURITY BECOMING MAJOR ISSUE ON COAST Richard Gollott never thought he would have to spend more than $6,000 and hire a full-time security guard to keep people from stealing anhydrous ammonia from his Biloxi seafood packing company. "That was the least of my worries," said Gollott, vice president of Golden Gulf Coast Packing Co. on Bayview Avenue. "The ammonia tank is on top of a plant building. It's hard enough to get up there just to take care of the valves. To climb up there and steal is just insanity." Anhydrous ammonia is used as a coolant in commercial and industrial refrigerators like Freon is used in homes. The chemical is also a key ingredient in making methamphetamine and the only ingredient that can't be bought in stores. Anhydrous ammonia is stored under pressure as a liquid. When released, it is a toxic gas that can cause burns, respiratory problems or explosions. Clay Gutierrez, vice president of Biloxi-based Global Seafood Technologies Inc., said he spent almost $3,000 to repair damage caused to his business because of repeated attempts to steal ammonia. "Every other weekend, people were cutting holes in the building with tools and saws," Gutierrez said. "Those people are crazy. I'm surprised we never came in to work one day and found someone lying dead from inhaling ammonia vapor." Anhydrous ammonia and other hazardous chemicals aren't hard to find on the Coast, where companies such as DuPont DeLisle, First Chemical and Wellman Inc., dot the landscape. According to documents filed annually with county civil defense offices and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency, several companies have millions of tons of hazardous chemicals on site every day. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom