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Two-Thirds of Binary Precursor Chemical Production Facilities Destroyed at Pine Bluff
The U.S. Army Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas has dismantled much of its former facilities for producing chemical weapons ingredients, the Pine Bluff Commercial News reported Saturday (see GSN, May 19).
“We have destroyed two-thirds of the facilities that are used to produce binary precursor chemicals,” said Joe Daven, a nonstockpile field office manager with the Army Chemical Materials Agency.
Binary precursor chemicals are combined with other ingredients to create nerve agents.
Nearly all the arsenal’s former Integrated Binary Production Facilities are expected to be destroyed by January, Daven said
In December 2003, the United States had destroyed more than 80 percent of its chemical weapons production capabilities — 16 months ahead of schedule, according to Jeff Lindblad, a public affairs officer for the Chemical Materials Agency.
“Pine Bluff was key to getting us to that 80 percent mark,” he said. “We continue to move forward,” he added (Bobbie Crockett, Pine Bluff Commercial News, Aug. 14).
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