Tri-City Herald
May 3, 2003

Umatilla incinerator tests set to resume

This story was published Sat, May 3, 2003

By Mary Hopkin
Herald Valley bureau

UMATILLA -- Tests on a key part of the Umatilla Chemical Depot's incinerator are scheduled to resume Sunday or Monday, officials said.

Tests were halted April 7 by the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality after a furnace's hazardous waste emissions exceeded state limits.

The so-called deactivation furnace is part of a facility that will be used to destroy the 3,717 tons of deadly chemical weapons stored at the Umatilla Chemical Depot, 30 miles south of the Tri-Cities.

Doug Hamrick, project general manager for the Washington Demilitarization Company, said the furnace's problems were likely caused by inadequate seals on filters and gaskets in the pollution abatement system.

The result was a buildup of salt used in the test materials. "It's not hazardous, but it was there," Hamrick said.

Hamrick said the repairs have been made and the furnace is back up to temperature and he hopes to continue the mini-burn of surrogate material in the next couple of days.

"We are cleaning out the duct work and feel very comfortable the action we took will handle the problem," he said.

Once the mini-burns are complete and results show the furnace is meeting state emission standards, the Army plans to start the surrogate burns required by the state.

"The mini-burns are things we are doing to make sure we are ready for surrogate tests," Hamrick said.