Last of nerve gas shells destroyed at Umatilla

12:59 PM PST on Wednesday, January 3, 2007

Associated Press

HERMISTON, Ore. (AP) -- Workers at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility have destroyed the last of more than 14,000, eight-inch diameter sarin nerve agent projectiles.

They were originally stockpiled at the Umatilla Chemical Depot near Hermiston.

The disposal facility destroyed the last sarin-filled eight-inch artillery projectile or "shell" in the Umatilla stockpile Wednesday morning.

Since September, 2004, when it began destroying chemical munitions, the facility has disposed of more than 108,000 rockets, bombs, ton containers, and eight-inch projectiles. This comprises about 24 percent of the agent tonnage originally stockpiled at Umatilla.

One more G-B nerve agent disposal campaign remains at Umatilla.

AP File Photo
A worker inspects some of the weapons stockpiled at the Umatilla depot.