Umatilla depot begins working on nerve gas spray tanks

Associated Press - November 24, 2007 4:15 PM ET

UMATILLA, Ore. (AP) - Officials in Umatilla working through a stockpile of chemical weapons say they have begun destroying spray tanks containing VX nerve gas.

The tanks are being incinerated along with rockets containing the nerve gas. The spray tanks were designed to mount on military aircraft. They are 15 feet long and contain 160 gallons of the nerve gas.

The first tank was processed yesterday at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. The VX disposal is expected to take a year and a half.