Chemical weapons are carefully unloaded from on-site containers in the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility's unpack area.
An empty projectile
A tray of empty projectile casings coming out of the metal parts furnace after being decontaminated during operations at JACADS.
Big Moment -- ABCDFs final batch
ABCDFs final batch: An ABCDF Control Room Operator logs the transfer of the last batch of neutralized mustard agent as it transferred to a storage tank as agent-free waste water.
Mustard sample
A vial containing less than 1 milliliter of mustard agent is prepared for analysis.
Newport Igloo
Igloos at the Newport Chemical Depot (NECD) safely stored the ton containers, or TCs, containing nerve agent VX.
The U.S. Army's Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) is the world leader in programs to store, treat, and dispose of chemical weapons
safely and effectively. The agency develops and uses technologies to safely store and eliminate chemical weapons while protecting
the public, its workers and the environment. CMA was created to incorporate the former Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization and portions of the
U.S. Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command into one agency. This streamlines operations and allows for greater integration of these programs. More
information on the organization is available at About CMA.
CMA Eliminates all VX at its Disposal Sites; Continues Oversight of VX Stored at BGAD
The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) announced a major milestone with the elimination of all nerve agent VX that it was responsible for destroying in the nation’s stockpile. On Dec. 24, 2008, the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (ANCDF) destroyed the last of its VX stockpile, marking the end of VX in CMA’s destruction facilities. (see article on ANCDF’s elimination of VX stockpile.) A very small stockpile of VX still remains at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Blue Grass, Ky.; however, CMA is only responsible for storing the stockpile.
Last VX Nerve Agent Munition Eliminated from CMA’s Destruction Stockpile
The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) marked the elimination of all VX nerve agent munitions at its disposal sites. This milestone occurred with the destruction of the last land mine containing VX at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Anniston, Ala.
CMA personnel and contractors have destroyed the VX nerve agent munitions at six disposal sites: Anniston, Ala.; Umatilla, Ore.; Newport, Ind.; Pine Bluff, Ark.; Tooele, Utah; and Johnston Island, southwest of Hawaii.
Destruction of chemical weapons is complete at Newport, Ind., Aberdeen, Md., and Johnston Island. Operations continue at Tooele, Umatilla, Anniston, and Pine Bluff, CMA’s remaining chemical demilitarization sites.
VX nerve agent was never used in combat by the United States.
Pine Bluff Processes First Ton Container
The Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (PBCDF) processed the first mustard ton container of their final chemical weapons disposal campaign Sunday, Dec. 7. The ton containers will be processed through the Metal Parts Furnace. The campaign is scheduled to last three years.
Once the disposal operations are complete, PBCDF will begin closure operations. The site will be decontaminated and dismantled in accordance to their closure plan and the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act permit.
The safe and deliberate manner in which this first ton container was processed showcases the highly-trained and professional work force at PBCDF, the Pine Bluff Arsenal, and the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency.
PCD support propellant characterization
In an effort to support propellant characterization, workers at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado collected samples from 105 mm projectiles and 4.2 inch mustard cartridges during the week of Nov. 18-21, 2008.
On Nov. 19, operations were paused due to concerns made by the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment of low-level air monitoring. These concerns were addressed by the Depot Commander and a mutual agreement was reached. Operations resumed and were completed within the same week.
1/21/2009 Hermiston, OR
UMCDF Weekly Project Update [169KB pdf] Umaitlla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility weekly project update for the week ending January 23, 2009
1/15/2009 Tooele, UT
DCD Monthly Update [3,889KB pdf] Deseret Chemical Depot update for January 2009
CMA News - January 2009 [1,015KB pdf] CMA announced a major milestone with the elimination of all nerve agent VX that it was responsible for destroying in the nation’s stockpile.
1/5/2009 Tooele, UT
Environmental Assessment - GA/Lewisite [846KB pdf] Proposed installation and operation of a small-scale incineration unit for the destruction of chemical agents tabun (GA) and lewisite at the DCD.