Star Assistant Metro Editor
Army officials made the announcement Tuesday in a release that termed the event a milestone in the destruction of the nation’s chemical weapons stockpile.
“It shows the world we’re serious about eliminating the U.S. stockpile of chemical weapons and protecting Americans from an aging chemical stockpile,” said Col. Peter Cooper, who commands the Deseret Chemical Depot.
The Tooele Chemical Disposal Facility destroyed the last of its GB munitions, which the Anniston incinerator is currently working on, in 2002, and has had several problems converting to the destruction of VX.
Complete destruction of the facility’s VX stockpile is expected in the summer of 2004.
About 7,510 tons of the stockpile’s 13,617 tons remains to be destroyed, according to the Utah depot’s officials.