Anniston to Begin Destroying 155 mm Shells

The Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Alabama is set to begin destroying 155 mm artillery shells filled with the nerve agent sarin as early as this week, the Associated Press reported (see GSN, Feb. 15).

Workers have nearly finished incinerating 8-inch shells, and are reconfiguring equipment for the new weapons.

“It’s been quite smooth,” said facility spokesman Mike Abrams. “It’s not as major as what we’re looking at toward the end of the year, when we begin to retool for a new agent campaign.”

Since beginning disposal in 2003, the facility has destroyed 56,234 rockets, warheads and shells and 598,967 pounds of sarin, AP reported.

The Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Utah as of today has eliminated 1,003,511 weapons and roughly 14.6 million pounds of chemical agent. The Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Oregon has eliminated 12,530 rockets and 129,616 pounds of chemical agent. The Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility has destroyed 958 rockets containing sarin since incineration began in March, AP reported.

About one-third of the U.S. chemical weapons arsenal has been destroyed (Associated Press/Tuscaloosa News, April 25).

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