Debates over incineration and neutralization are continuing as destruction activities progress at U.S. chemical weapons sites in Colorado, Alabama and Oregon, the Associated Press reported this weekend.

The Defense Department has delayed a decision on the best way to destroy chemical weapons stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado, the AP reported Saturday (see GSN, March 15).

A decision had been expected by March 22, but the Defense Acquisition Board had not gathered enough data to recommend how to destroy the 2,600 tons of mustard gas at the depot, said Pentagon spokesman Maj. Jay Steuk.  A recommendation is now expected within the next few weeks, and Defense Undersecretary Pete Aldridge is to make the final decision, Steuk said (Associated Press, March 23).

Mystery Vials

Meanwhile, the U.S. Army has moved 10 vials from the former U.S. Air Force Lowry bombing range in Colorado to the Pueblo depot while investigators determine what substances are inside, according to the AP.  U.S. Army chemical specialists examined the containers Friday but could not identify their contents, said Marion Galant, spokeswoman for the Colorado Department of Public Health.

Colorado public health officials believe the vials might contain lewisite, which is similar to mustard gas, the AP reported.  Two of the containers are labeled as mustard agent, three others contain crystals and the other five are empty, Galant said (Associated Press, March 23).

Anniston Completes Test Run

At the Anniston Army Depot in Alabama, officials completed a test run of an incinerator Saturday, Alabama officials said (see GSN, March 18).  The test, a preparation for using the incinerator to destroy chemical weapons, ran for eight days.

“You want to prove the equipment is capable of doing what it’s supposed to do before you put the hazardous material in there,” said Ron Gore, head of the Alabama Department of Environmental Management’s air division.

The tests used dummy rockets, said Anniston spokesman Mike Abrams.  Crews measured three test chemicals suctioned from the rockets and chopped metal shells into pieces before destroying them.

The results of the tests will not be known for several more weeks when the emissions are tested in a laboratory, Gore said.  In order for the incinerator to be a success, 99.9999 percent of the chemicals must be destroyed.

The U.S. Army plans to start destroying M55 rockets armed with sarin nerve agent at the Anniston incinerator in September, the AP reported.  Administrators plan to destroy the rockets first because they regularly leak sarin during storage, officials said (Associated Press, March 23).

Umatilla Considers Neutralization

At the Umatilla Chemical Depot in Oregon, the Army wants to re-examine plans to incinerate mustard gas, according to the Associated Press.

Assistant Army Secretary Mario Flori is expected to meet with Oregon state officials, including Governor John Kitzhaber, this week to discuss destroying the mustard gas through neutralization rather than incineration.

“Given the new situation after Sept. 11, we’re willing to talk about anything that will speed up the (chemical destruction) process,” said Chris Dearth, environmental project director for the Oregon Natural Resources Office.

Neutralization is a faster and less expensive method to destroy the more than 3,700 tons of mustard gas agent stored at the Umatilla depot, according to the Army.  Kitzhaber and Oregon environmental officials, however, are wary of last-minute changes to the disposal plans, Dearth said.

“We’re a little worried because we’re so close to the start-up of incineration,” he said.  “We don’t want to do anything to delay that.”

Oregon officials are also concerned about water resources needed for the neutralization method, Dearth said.

“We’re concerned about the amount of water it takes,” he said.  “And our other concern is what happens to the secondary waste.  There’s no place in Oregon to deal with that” (Associated Press, March 23).

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