Mid-Columbia news
First containers of VX nerve agent arrive at Umatilla depot
Published Saturday, October 27th, 2007
JEANNINE KORANDA HERALD OREGON BUREAUHERMISTON -- The first container of M55 rockets filled with VX nerve agent arrived at the Umatilla Chemical Depot on Friday with a name attached to it.
Depot officials named the reinforced steel shipping container in honor of Bob Flournoy, the longtime chairman of the Oregon Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission.
The containers are used to transport chemical weapons stored at the Oregon site from storage bunkers to the incineration plant.
"It completely surprised me, I had no idea it was coming," said Flournoy, who saw his name on the giant steel container when he walked out of depot commander Lt. Col. Bob Stein's office.
"It's because of his no-nonsense approach and communication skills that citizens surrounding the depot continue to be informed about our efforts to eliminate chemical munitions, and the hazards of doing so. We appreciate that he's a leading voice in the community when it comes to safety," Stein said.
Shipping the rockets to the plant is one of the final steps before the plant starts draining, chopping and burning 14,519 rockets.
Depot officials plan to start burning the nerve agent-filled rockets early next week, possibly Monday or Tuesday, depot spokesman Bruce Henrickson said.
About 2 p.m. Friday, crews moved the first shipment of 30 rockets to the plant, Henrickson said. He wasn't sure how many shipments would be made Friday.
When the plant starts up, it will feed 10 rockets through on of the two rocket destruction lines on one shift.
On the second shift, crews will feed 10 more rockets through the second rocket line, he said.
Like GB sarin, which the incinerator finished destroying in July, VX attacks the central nervous system and can cause seizures, paralysis and even death in extreme cases.
While the agents cause the same reactions, sarin is considered more dangerous to the public because it evaporates at the rate of water, while VX -- a clear, oily and scentless liquid -- evaporates more like vegetable oil, according to the Army.
Its primary danger is through skin contact.
Flournoy, who got involved with depot affairs almost 10 years ago to determine if the incinerator process was safe, said he was pleased to see the start of the new destruction campaign.