for more information: Craig Williams:
(859) 986-7565
or 302-1103 (cell)
for immediate release: Tuesday, September
2, 2003
TECHNICAL PROBLEMS TO TEMPORARILY
HALT MUSTARD NEUTRALIZATION AT ABERDEEN PROVING GROUND
CWWG Learns of Upcoming "Stand-Down" at Maryland
Disposal Site
According to anonymous sources within
the Pentagon, operations at the Army's chemical agent demilitarization plant,
located at Aberdeen Proving Ground (APG), Maryland, are about to be temporarily
suspended due to technical problems associated with Mustard Agent disposal.
The APG facility is the first of four planned neutralization
facilities slated to destroy more than 6,027 tons of chemical agents stored
in Maryland, Colorado, Indiana and Kentucky.
The facility has had a series of equipment problems
and agent alarms since processing began in March of this year, the latest
of which resulted in a fire in one of the filter systems.
According to Army statements, none of the incidents,
including the fire, resulted in agent escaping into the environment or exposure
to any of the workers at the plant.
Craig Williams, director of the Kentucky based Chemical
Weapons Working Group (CWWG) said, "The information we received indicates
several problems, which taken collectively, require some significant modifications
to the facility. Among them are issues associated with ridding the
containers of all traces of agent prior to their being sent out of engineering
controls; pumps which need to be upgraded; modifications of some of the filter
media; and, the addition of an sealed "holding vestibule" to ensure the containers
are agent free."
The APG neutralization plant will be shut down for
approximately a month to complete these modifications, according to CWWG
sources.
"Like any process, especially a first generation plant
like this one, glitches can be expected," said Williams. "The good news is
those in charge at APG recognized it's safer to halt production, address
the problems, and then proceed, rather than continue to try and make something
work that could be dangerous to the workers or the surrounding community.
It's also reassuring that the situation has been communicated to us, explaining
exactly what is happening, without the 'spin' so often associated with problems
at the incineration sites."
The CWWG has long supported the neutralization approach
and opposed incineration, the process used or planned to be used at four
other chemical weapons storage sites in the U.S. (Alabama, Arkansas, Oregon
& Utah).
"No process is perfect," said Williams, "the fundamental
difference between the two approaches is the level of control operators have
over the material during processing. Neutralization is a low temperature
- low air velocity process, which is very controllable. Incineration
is high temperature - high air velocity process with an exhaust stack
at the other end."
"Are we pleased that APG's neutralization facility
will be temporarily shut down? No. Do we still feel neutralization is by
far the safer disposal method? Absolutely!" Williams said. "Our mission is
to insure worker and community safety and environmental protection regardless
of the technology and we plan to continue doing just that."
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