Defense Environment Alert
an exclusive biweekly report on defense
policies for cleanup, compliance and pollution prevention
Vol. 12, No. 12--June 15, 2004
ARMY REVIEWING HOW MUSTARD AGENT TRIGGERED ALARM AT FACILITY
The Army is reviewing a June 4 incident at the Aberdeen Chemical Agent Disposal
Facility in Maryland where trace amounts of mustard agent vapor were detected
in a drain station room.
The Army says two drain station workers were routinely removing bagged waste
from a glove box in the drain station at the time of the alarm. The two workers
and other personnel in the vicinity put on masks when the alarm sounded and
evacuated the facility. Later monitoring did not detect agent vapor, the
Army says.
"Preliminary indications suggest that a waste bag may not have been completely
sealed, allowing a minute quantity of mustard vapor to escape," the Army
said in a June 7 statement. "Facility workers are participating in the review
to aid officials in determining if waste bagging procedures need to be modified
to prevent a recurrence."
The Army says no agent vapor escaped drain station engineering controls,
and at no time was there a hazard posed to the community or environment.
The workers were monitored for the presence of agent and later returned to
work.