TUESDAY
AUGUST 17, 2004


VX missile disposal completed
 

The last of more than 53,000 artillery projectiles filled with deadly VX nerve agent was destroyed on Monday by workers at the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.
   
The remainder of the depot's VX munitions is expected to be destroyed by next spring.
   
With the completion of this phase, the only VX munitions left in storage at the Deseret Chemical Depot in Tooele County are spray tanks and land mines, said depot   spokeswoman Alaine Southworth.
   
Said Ted Ryba, acting site project manager: "With the more than 50,000 VX projectiles destroyed in the recent campaign, combined with the more than 750,000 GB projectiles destroyed earlier, we've taken another big step in completing our mission and making our community a safer place."
   
Preparations are continuing for the third and last munitions destruction campaign, targeting deadly mustard agent-filled weapons.