Misplaced chemical weapons waste leads to partial evacuation at Md. base

Misplaced wastes from a chemical weapon disposal plant forced the partial evacuation of a building near the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, officials said today.

A cart of materials lightly contaminated with blister-forming "mustard" agent was improperly moved outside a work-area at the site, then taken inside when the mistake was discovered less than an hour.

Although monitoring equipment showed mustard agent vapor levels remained below worker protection limits throughout the incident, six workers were evaluated by medical staffers before returning to work. None showed signs of exposure to the agent.

The incident occurred in a building used to cleanout "ton" containers used for storage of the mustard agent.

Defense contractors finished neutralizing all of the agent at Aberdeen last year, with waste byproducts shipped to DuPont's Chambers Works treatment plant for final disposal.

Plant officials revised waste-handling rules today to require additional checks before materials are removed from the building. Workers are currently dismantling and cleaning up the disposal complex.

Contact Jeff Montgomery at 678-4277 or jmontgomery@delawareonline.com.