LOCAL NEWS
| Depot crew detects traces
of mustard agent vapors By the East Oregonian HERMISTON - A Umatilla Chemical Depot chemical operations monitoring crew detected mustard chemical agent vapors Thursday inside a depot structure, or "igloo." The trace amounts detected were not harmful to the public or the environment. The trace of mustard chemical agent was detected during routine monitoring at about 3:30 p.m. The igloos have passive filter systems that prevent chemical agent vapor from escaping the structures. However, as a further protective measure, workers installed a powered filter system. Bruce Henrickson, public affairs officer for the depot, said workers discovered the leak during vapor level checks. "They put a probe through the door, they did not go inside," Henrickson said. "Now they're using the powered ventilation system and waiting for the vapor level to drop so they can go in and find the leaking munition." Henrickson said there have only been 15 mustard agent container leaks since 1984. "There was no danger to the public or the environment," he added. "Leakers are the most minor events we have on the depot." He said it could take several days for the vapors to drop to a level that would allow workers to enter the igloo and identify the leaking container. "As these munitions age, they tend to leak," Henrickson explained. "We've had 179 leaking munitions since 1984, that's all types of munitions. By far the most dangerous leaking munitions are the GB or Sarin-filled munitions. This is mustard agent, which is the least dangerous of all the types of agents we have." Even though the readings are so low they are not harmful to the public or the environment, protocol dictates depot officials notify the public when such incidents occur. They also notify off-post emergency operations centers in Umatilla and Morrow counties, Benton County, Wash., the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation and the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality. |
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