Depot Empties First of 100 Igloos
Workers going slow and steady

 TAYLA TOVEY
   Friday, November 12th, 2004

Umatilla Chemical Weapons Depot

Crews at the Umatilla Chemical Depot have emptied the first of 100 igloos holding deadly chemical weapons. The Army started burning chemical weapons in September and expects to finish incineration by 2010. Crews will destroy the weapons containing GB or sarin agent first, then will move to the munitions contaning mustard agent. The Army says it's a deliberately slow process to ensure its workers and the community are protected.

"We're still taking it very slow," says Depot spokesperson Mary Binder. "It's not a production operation, we're not racing down here, we're just taking it real slow."

The Army plans to have incineration complete and the plant torn down by 2015.