Chemical and Engineering News
GOVERNMENT CONCENTRATES
February 11, 2002
Volume 80, Number 6
CENEAR 80 06 p. 21

Army plans to speed disposal of chemical arms

The Army claims that, by using neutralization and outsourcing secondary treatment of the neutralized waste, it can destroy the entire mustard gas stockpile at Aberdeen, Md., by the end of 2003, three years ahead of schedule, Craig Williams, director of the Chemical Weapons Working Group, tells C&EN.

The Army can speed up destruction of the chemical agent, stored in bulk form at this site, because it plans to contract with a New Jersey company for the secondary biotreatment of the neutralized waste instead of building a treatment plant on-site. Williams says the Army is considering applying this same approach--neutralizing and outsourcing of the secondary treatment--for the destruction of bulk VX nerve agent stored in Newport, Ind. Eventually, the Army would like to extend this to all bulk chemical agents stored at other U.S. disposal sites, which amounts to more than 60% of the chemical agents remaining to be destroyed.

Such an approach would eliminate the need to burn the bulk agent and would save money. Williams' group has long opposed incineration of chemical agents on safety, environmental, and cost grounds. Recently, the governor of Alabama declared his intent to sue the Army to block chemical agent incineration at the Anniston disposal site until his safety concerns are addressed. And President George W. Bush's fiscal 2003 budget documents note that the Army's incineration program is behind schedule and over cost because of "unrealistic schedules, site safety and environmental concerns, and poor planning." Nevertheless, the President requested $1.5 billion for the Army's destruction program, up 35% from last year's request.