Demolition of chemical weapons building begins at Aberdeen
Posted
Monday, October 30, 2006
Demolition started today on an Army building in Aberdeen, Md., used to neutralize more than 1,800 tons of blister-forming "mustard" weapons after tests proved the building free of chemical agent residues.
The main process building is among the last still standing since the bulk of the stockpile destruction ended in 2005.
Wastewater from the Aberdeen site was trucked to a DuPont Co. commercial wastewater treatment plant in Deepwater, N.J., near the foot of the Delaware Memorial Bridge. DuPont disposed of the caustic, sulfur-heavy liquids without incident.
Public debate has continued, however, on use of the same DuPont facility to treat broken-down liquid from a VX nerve agent treatment plant in Newport, Ind. Although federal environmental and health officials say the treatment plan is safe, a Government Accountabilty Office review of the project is ongoing.with a report due by next month.
Army officials say cleanup from the Aberdeen weapon disposal project should wind up by 2007. The government produced mustard weapons at the Maryland facility from World War I until 1950.
The chemical weapon disposal contract is part of a larger, nationwide effort launched in 1990 and accelerated under terms of an international agreement.
Contact Jeff Montgomery at 678-4277 or jmontgomery@delawareonline.com