Tooele reaches milestone in chemical weapons destruction

By Brian Lyman
Star Staff Writer
06-05-2005

While the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility destroyed the last of its sarin-filled 155-mm shells this week, other facilities continued processing, and one reached a major milestone. The Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Tooele, Utah, wrapped up its VX-disposal program Friday, destroying the last of 22,600 VX-filled mines. Crews destroyed 4,000 VX-filled land mines between Sunday, May 22 and Sunday, May 29, and have processed 1,013,293 munitions since 1996. Amy Leetham, a spokeswoman with the Tooele Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office, said the process created hydrolysate, which will be burned in the facility’s furnaces. “We’ll destroy that, and we have four ton containers of GA nerve agent, and then we’ll go into shutdown to decontaminate the facility,” she said. The facility will go through a long retooling process in preparation for the start of destroying its ton containers of mustard agent. The Pine Bluff Chemical Agent disposal facility in Arkansas destroyed 1,746 GB-filled rockets and 17,855 pounds of nerve agent between Monday, May 23 and Monday, May 30. To date, the facility has destroyed 8,070 rockets and 71,220 pounds of nerve agent. Processing stopped Friday for maintenance work on a conveyor belt that moves processed pieces out of the furnace. Spokeswoman Raini Wright said weapons destruction is expected to resume in the next few days. Crews at the Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Indiana destroyed 7,603 pounds of VX from Thursday, May 26 through Friday, June 3. To date, the facility has destroyed 16,718 pounds of nerve agent, all VX stored in bulk containers. Processing has stopped at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Oregon while officials investigate the source of fires at the plant.

About Brian Lyman

Brian Lyman covers infrastructure and the cities of Heflin and Lincoln for the Anniston Star. He lives in Anniston.