CDC report critical of Army's plan

By Patricia L. Pastore/Tribune-Star
Story created Apr 07, 2005 - 09:15:05 CDT.

A Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report on treatment of VX byproduct in New Jersey states that more action is needed to ensure the byproduct, hydrolysate, will not harm the environment.

The Army has proposed to neutralize the caustic VX hydrolysate at Newport and truck it to the DuPont plant in New Jersey for further treatment before dumping it into the Delaware River.

"The proposed contract between the Army and DuPont will not be awarded until the CDC concerns have been considered," the report states.

The federal Environmental Protection Agency and the CDC must act to make certain the VX byproduct will not harm people, fish or wildlife, according to the report.

The 86-page report said " Š the DuPont risk assessment does not contain adequate information to determine that the aquatic ecological risk from the discharge of treated [hydrolysate] to the Delaware River is acceptable."

It further states, "EPA believes that the conclusions "are not valid."

The report also said there may be the presence of heavy metals in the byproduct that the Army has not accounted for.

The major findings of the CDC report, according to an Army Chemical Materials Agency news release:

• destruction of the DIC-stabilized agent can proceed forward at an 8 percent loading;
• the potential hazard of the caustic hydrolysate is predominantly associated with its corrosive and caustic properties and not nerve agent effects;
• the corrosive and caustic hazards of the hydrolysate do not preclude handling or transportation and the precautions in the transportation plan meet the Department of Transportation regulations to safely protect the public, personnel and environment;
• the DuPont Secure Environmental Treatment process is capable of treating the major components in the caustic hydrolysate wastewater; and more information is needed to determine the ecological risks of discharge of the treated waste.
  

"The Army and DuPont are working with the CDC and the EPA to address the ecological concerns listed in the report," the news release reads.

The CDC didn't have an opportunity to review DuPont's newest technology. Col. Jesse L. Barber, project manager for Alternative Technologies, said findings concerning DuPont's newer and more refined treatment for the caustic hydrolysate weren't available for the CDC to review before this report.

"We look forward to reviewing the CDC's report and its recommendations," Barber said. "CMA has successfully worked with the CDC and other oversight agencies on safely getting rid of all chemical agent at Johnston Atol, eliminating half of the stockpile in Tooele, Utah, and destroying all the drained mustard agent at Aberdeen. We will continue to work closely with the CDC, as well as affected communities, to ensure the safety of the workers, the public and the environment."

The CDC report "admits as Green Delaware has always maintained that Š trace levels of VX and EA2192 [a degraded product with nerve agent properties] may be present [in the material to be trucked to New Jersey],'" said Alan Muller, a spokesman for Green Delaware.

The Army plans to store VX hydrolysate produced during the neutralization of VX in special containers on-site at the Newport Chemical Depot until the Army determines if it will be transported to New Jersey or treated at the depot.

Patricia Pastore can be reached at (812)231-4271 or pat.pastore@tribstar.com.