HERMISTON — Four containers storing between 250 to 1650 pounds of liquid GB sarin are causing problems for the Umatilla Chemical Depot.

Lt. Col. David ‘Doc' Holliday told the Citizens Advisory Commission Thursday night that the containers are beginning to leak.

"The contents have started to deteriorate the containers," Holliday said. "This is a no-win situation."

There are several plugs in the end of each container which appear to be eaten away by the acids used when transferring the chemical agent from containers back in 1984. At the time, smaller containers of liquid sarin were drilled and transferred to larger containers. The containers are stored in Igloo 1881, one of two storage units used for leaking munitions.

The Army is using absorbent ‘socks' around the containers to soak up any liquid that may escape from the containers.

Ultrasounds have been used to determine how much of the plugs have been eaten away. Holliday says the ultrasound would get an echo telling technicians how dense the plug was.

"We're not getting an echo back in most cases," Holliday said.

One solution has been to tighten down the threaded plug and putting silicon around the plug.

"So far, that has been working for us," Holliday said.

If the plug further deteriorates, putting a rubber grommet around the neck of the plug and using silicon again could be done. However, some of the plugs are flush with the bulkhead.

A problem for the depot is that the containers can't be put into an overpack because of their size. The plan is to place the containers into Single Pallet Only Rocket Transfer (SPORTs). The SPORTs look like metal coffins.

SPORTs are large enough to hold the ton containers and will create an airtight seal. The SPORTs are expected by the end of March or the first of April, Holliday said.

The containers are being built at the Tooele, Utah facility.

The Army is continuing to monitor the igloo.