Plans for chemical weapons disposal may be changed
By Ronica Brandenburg/Register News Writer

The Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board conducted a working group session Tuesday to discuss two recommendations regarding safe rocket destruction processes and the shipment of chemical weapons off-site.

Recent fires at two chemical weapons disposal facilities in the United States has spurred action at Bechtel-Parsons Blue Grass, the government's contractor for the weapons disposal pilot plant to be built at the depot.

All of the incidents stem from the destruction of M55 rockets containing GB nerve agent, which are also stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot. Weapons disposal has not yet begun at the depot; however, the rockets will be destroyed first.

Project director Chris Midgett of Bechtel-Parsons was asked by Michael Parker, project manager for the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (ACWA) program in Washington, to create an alternative to the rocket disposal process as a precautionary measure.

The rockets are being destroyed at other sites by a robotic processing machine that drains the nerve agent from the rocket and then cuts it into eight pieces. No humans come into contact with the rockets during this process and all action is monitored on a closed-circuit television, Sloan said. One alternative being studied is the separation of the M55 rocket motor from the warhead before destruction operations begin. The concept of separating the rocket motors has been under consideration for the past several months by the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant design team as a way of improving operations and reducing overall costs.

The design team will be in Washington today to explain their alternative to Parker.

"While the current design for the neutralization plant calls for the same type of rocket shear equipment in use at the incineration facilities (in Oregon and Arkansas where fires occurred) we are exploring alternatives to reduce the risk of similar incidents occurring once the Blue Grass plant becomes operational," said Jim Fritsche, government site project manager for the pilot plant at the depot.

The team's proposal includes separating rocket warheads (which contain nerve agent) and motors (which contain propellant) during the demilitarization process.

"We're gathering as much information as we can trying to make sure we do what's right for the bluegrass," Fritsche said at yesterday's working group session."

The proposal for rocket destruction will include a different cutting approach called rotary cutting.

The rocket is placed on a cutting table that rotates the rocket. It will be cut with a blade much like that of a large pipe cutter, Midgett said.

It is being proposed that the cut be made in the threaded area between the warhead and the rocket propellant.

"We believe there is no access to propellant on the warhead and there should be no explosive problems with making the cut in this area," he said.

The method will be tested upon receiving approval on the proposal.

Also discussed at Tuesday's work session was the shipment of chemical agent and hydrolosate, which is the chemical residue that results from neutralization.

The team is recommending to ACWA that all agent and hydrolosate be treated on site by using super critical water oxidation (SCWO). This decision was based on several factors including the historical and current controversy associated with transportation of such waste through communities, significant uncertainties surrounding the capability to safely transport such waste and the negative local economic impact of off-site versus on-site treatment.

Ronica Brandenburg can be reached at rbrandenburg@ richmondregister.com or 623-1669, Ext. 234.