As a result of the Texas City Disaster, quality control officials implemented new standards for the transportation and dispersal of ammonium nitrate. In addition to cool temperatures, new regulations required specialized containers for storage and prohibited ammonium nitrate from being stored near other reactive materials. Travel over long distances was discouraged and overseas transfer of the substance was highly restricted.

The Texas City Disaster also influenced attitudes toward disaster planning across the country. It was obvious that there was a need for a more pro-active approach to disaster planning. Many also noted that a centrally-coordinated emergency response effort might have been beneficial in the early hours of the disaster. As a result, refineries in the Texas City area formed the Industrial Mutual Aid System (IMAS), a cooperative endeavor in which they agreed to help each other out in the event of a disaster. Refineries in industrial zones across Texas followed suit.