NBC13 News (Anniston)
June 22, 2003

Residents Protest Army Incinerator; Community Uneasy About Contamination

POSTED: 1:04 p.m. CDT June 22, 2003
ANNISTON, Ala. -- The Anniston Army Depot incinerator is scheduled to start destroying chemical weapons soon, but as that day approaches, public outcry increases.

At the Anniston Army Depot, chemical weapons incineration could begin in less than two weeks. The Army has assured nearby residents that the community will not be affected, but some residents continue to be concerned about their safety.

Jeannette Champion and her daughter, Misty, blame their lifetime disabilities on PCBs long buried underground in Anniston. They believe the chemical weapons incinerator about to start up at the depot will release a whole new set of toxins.

"My children have a right to breath clean air," Jeannette Champion said.

They joined members of the Sierra Club who convened in Anniston to protest the incinerator.

"There is no question that incinerators always release toxic chemicals," said Ross Vincent, a senior policy analyst with the Sierra Club. "No matter how many layers of containment they put around it, some of that material escapes"

The Army claims incineration is completely safe and that chances of a serious chemical accident are minimal. Even if there is an emergency, the Army notes that the Emergency Management Agency is distributing protective equipment to all of Calhoun County.

In the event of a chemical incident that contaminates the air, protective hoods equipped with a fan that blows filtered air throughout the hood will allow residents to breath safely, according to EMA officials.

"It's been thoroughly tested and found to be effective against the chemicals stored at the depot," said Phil Harris of the EMA.

But the Champions said they and many of their neighbors refuse to pick up the protective gear.

"Maximum protection to me is nothing coming out the smokestack and me knowing there's never gonna be an accident," Jeanette Champion said.

Although the Army said it will be ready to begin incineration in two weeks, an exact start date has not yet been set.