More chemical weapons set for destruction at Oregon depot

HERMISTON, Ore. (AP) -- The next phase of chemical weapons destruction at the Umatilla Chemical Depot could begin next month with VX nerve agent, officials say.

Since the last of the depot's projectiles filled with GB-sarin nerve agent were destroyed in July, workers at the incinerator facility built to get rid of the aging stockpile of Cold War chemical weapons have been getting ready to handle VX.

"They feel that what they are doing is so important," said Doug Hamrick, project manager at the depot for Washington Group International, which built the incinerator and is operating it for the Army.

The process has included repairs and modifications to equipment that has worn down over three years of burning sarin nerve agent, adding agent monitors and retraining the work force.

"We've have been rehearsing safe and secure munitions movement using simulated munitions in preparation for the beginning of the VX Campaign," said depot commander Lt. Col. Bob Stein.

As they did with sarin, crews at the depot incinerator will begin by destroying the site's 14,519 M55 rockets filled with VX.

Both VX and sarin attack the central nervous system and can cause seizures, paralysis and even death in extreme cases.

While the agents cause the same reactions, sarin is considered more dangerous to the public because it evaporates at the rate of water, while VX -- a clear, oily and scentless liquid -- evaporates more like vegetable oil, according to the Army. Its primary danger is through skin contact.

Because the VX rockets still contain explosives and propellant, they are considered the most dangerous of the remaining stockpile, said Don Barclay, depot site project manager.

When the sarin-filled M55 rockets were destroyed, it dramatically reduced the potential risk to the public from an accidental release, Barclay said.

With the VX rockets there is also the potential for more rocket fires. As the incinerator was destroying the sarin-filled rockets, 15 caught fire. In each case the rockets' sarin had already been drained out.

The fires all occurred in one of two heavily reinforced rooms designed to withstand explosions and no nerve agent escaped the rooms.

"Even though we've processed 92,000 (sarin-filled) rockets, we want to make sure everyone is on top of their game when we start again," Hamrick said.

When the VX-filled weapons are gone, the incinerator will begin destroying its 2,635 one-ton containers of mustard blister agent.