| A fire partially stopped weapons processing
at one facility this week, but processing continued uninterrupted at other
sites around the country.
The Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility destroyed
2,191 sarin-filled 105-mm projectiles and 336 gallons of nerve agent between
Dec. 2 and Tuesday. To date the facility has destroyed 109,556 chemical weapons
and 83,936 gallons of nerve agent, about 18 percent of the original stockpile.
Crews at the facility are cleaning a line that transports
brine, a byproduct of the cooling process on the furnaces, out of the machinery
for treatment off-site.
“It’s something we know, something we expect and we
periodically go in,” said Mike Abrams, a spokesman for the Anniston Chemical
Agent Disposal Facility. “We don’t have a tool like Roto-Rooter, but we have
to make sure it’s clean for the safe and efficient operation of the system.”
Weapons processing was stopped for the maintenance,
but was scheduled to resume this weekend.
The Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Pine
Bluff, Ark., destroyed 788 sarin-filled rockets and 10,098 pounds of sarin
between Nov. 29 and Monday. To date the facility has destroyed 29,577 rockets
and 286,896 pounds of agent, about 4 percent of its original stockpile.
A fire broke out Wednesday at the Umatilla Chemical
Agent Disposal Facility in Umatilla, Ore. The fire, which lasted about two
minutes, was quickly contained and no one was injured during the processing.
It was the fifth fire at Umatilla this year, and burned longer than previous
fires in the facility. Officials from the facility and the Oregon Department
of Environmental Quality are investigating.
Despite the fire, Umatilla destroyed 1,938 sarin-rockets
and 15,475 pounds of agent between Dec. 1 and Dec. 7. The facility has destroyed
44,857 chemical weapons and 492,624 pounds of agent since starting operations
in 2004, 3.6 percent of its total stockpile.
The Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Newport,
Ind., destroyed 3,007 pounds of bulk VX between Nov. 29 and Tuesday. To date
the facility has destroyed 71,906 pounds of nerve agent, about 3 percent
of its initial total.
The Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Tooele,
Utah, is undergoing a lengthy retooling process to start the destruction of
bulk mustard next year.
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