Anniston Star
September 9, 2003

Depot empties first igloo

By Sara Clemence
Star Staff Writer
09-09-2003

One down, 150 to go.

One month into operations at the Anniston chemical weapons incinerator, Anniston Army Depot workers reached a minor milestone, emptying the first concrete crypt of sarin-filled rockets.

Monday afternoon, workers removed 50 rockets from an unlit, windowless storage bunker and carted them to their demise at the incinerator.

The M55 rockets, containing GB nerve agent, are among the more than 660,000 chemical weapons stored at the depot since the 1960s. About 150 igloos remain to be unloaded.

"We’re pleased to have these rockets off our storage books, so to speak," said Lt. Col. Robert E. Jones, commander of Anniston Chemical Activity, in a news release. "Our shipments have gone smoothly with no problems, and although we have many more shipments ahead of us, it’s good to have this first event to celebrate."

The Army has been destroying weapons at its controversial incinerator since Aug. 9.

The rockets are punctured, drained of nerve agent, cut into eight pieces and burned in a furnace. The sarin is stored in steel tanks and burned in a separate furnace in bulk.

By Monday afternoon, a total of 1,634 rockets had been processed. Workers also burned 299 gallons of nerve agent Sunday night, with "no problems," said Mike Abrams, spokesman for the Anniston Chemical Weapons Disposal Facility.

Another bulk burn is scheduled for Wednesday night, when the Army plans to incinerator another 300 gallons.

The rockets are more than six feet long and are rest in fiberglass shipping and firing tubes, with their fanlike fins folded.

The first igloo to be emptied was chosen partly for ease of maneuvering inside and was half-vacant to begin with, said Cathy Coleman, spokeswoman for Anniston Chemical Activity. A full igloo houses about 2,000 weapons, she said.

Not all of the igloos contain weapons. The Army reconfigured the stockpile and left some bunkers empty. Since Sept. 11, the military has been reluctant to give out details on which of the 155 igloos contain the weapons.

The empty bunker will be checked for any possible contamination, closed and eventually returned to the Anniston Army Depot from Anniston Chemical Activity.