Chemical Weapons Working Group
P.O. Box 467
Berea, Kentucky 40403
(606) 986-7565 (606) 986-2695 (fax)
kefwilli@acs.eku.edu www.cwwg.org
for more information contact:
Ross Vincent: 719-561-3117
Craig Williams: 606-986-7565
for immediate release: Friday October 8, 1999
COLORADO CITIZENS ADVISORY COMMISSION VOTES DOWN CHEMICAL WEAPONS INCINERATOR IN FAVOR OF ADVANCED DISPOSAL TECHNOLOGY
Neutralization/Bio-treatment Process Chosen to Treat Colorado Stockpile
In what anti-incineration activists are calling "a victory for public health
and the environment", the Citizen Advisory Commission (CAC),
appointed by the Colorado Governor, last night voted 4-3 to proceed with
one of the advanced technologies recently demonstrated under the
Alternative Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) Program and against
incinerating the chemical stockpile stored in Pueblo. The Commission
will now deliver its recommendation to Congress.
Over the past several months the Army's Chemical Demilitarization
Office, which is pro-incineration, has been putting pressure on local
officials to lobby Congress to force a decision moving forward with
disposal, hoping their rhetoric on the "maturity" of burning would win
the day. However, as in previous public meetings, almost every citizen
who commented at last nights spoke against incineration and in favor of
the safer alternatives. The CAC agreed with the citizens.
CAC member, Ross Vincent said, "I hope that our commitment to
advanced technologies here in Pueblo will send a clear message to the
leadership of the Army's chemical weapons program. Their relentless,
decade-long, multi-million-dollar, taxpayer-funded, disingenuous spin
campaign hasn't worked. They might want to consider honesty and
integrity in the future."
The technology which was selected by the CAC was developed by a team
of contractors led by the Ralph M. Parsons Company and Allied Signal,
Inc. It involves using water jets to cut weapons apart, a neutralization
process to treat chemicals and explosives inside the weapons and steam
to clean metal parts. Following all that, the water -- which is free of
agent -- is treated by bacteria. A similar process has been permitted and
is under construction at Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland to treat
ton containers of mustard agent. Unlike incineration, this wouldn't
include smokestacks or hazardous air emissions.
Vincent added, "This is a tremendous victory for the people of Pueblo, but
the real winner is the American taxpayer. The investment in the cleaner,
safer waste treatment technologies for the chemical weapons program
will have ripple effects that will benefit both government and corporate
efforts to deploy cleaner, safer waste treatment methods here in this
country and worldwide. Our children and grandchildren will be healthier
and safer as a result."
The design of the incineration facility the Army asked the CAC to vote in
favor of last night was what they referred to as a "modified" version.
When asked to give the details of the modifications, the Army would only
say they eliminated some of the furnaces from the original design.
Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG) Spokesperson, Craig
Williams, said "the changes they have proposed would require burning
fully loaded munitions in a single furnace rather than burning the
agents in their own furnace. The National Research Council has
strongly recommended against this approach and it has never been
demonstrated to be effective.
Williams, whose organization advocates alternatives to incineration
added, "I can already hear the pro-incineration camp crying about the
outcome of last night's vote. Had it gone their way they would have
claimed the technology debate over in Colorado. You can bet the Public
Affairs Office at the Chemical Demil will try and spin this to appear far
less than final a decision . They are very predictable when things don't fit
their predetermined outcome."
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