What Oregon plant is now destroying Mustard Gas?
he last chemical weapon that remains at Umatilla Chemical Depot in eastern Oregon is mustard blister agent. The U.S. Army just got the go-ahead from the State of Oregon to start destroying more than 2000 massive containers of the poison. Correspondent Anna King reports. Depot workers have started moving mustard agent containers, each about a ton, out of underground igloos and into the massive incineration plant. It will take as long as two years to destroy the 4.5 million pounds of mustard. When all of it is gone, the incineration plant will be cleaned and disassembled. Jim Hackett is with the Army. He says it feels good to be destroying the last of the chemical weapons in Oregon. Jim Hackett: “I’m gratified that we’ve reached this point. Forty-seven years they’ve had chemical weapons in their backyard. It’s something that you can tell your grandchildren about and say that you were part of this effort.” Mustard, VX and other chemicals came to Oregon by rail during the Cold War. It’s no
Umatilla Chemical Depot has begun burning mustard gas. A spokesman says the Umatilla Chemical Depot has begun burning mustard gas, the last substance in its chemical stockpile to be destroyed. On Friday, a judge took no action on a motion from environmentalists who say mercury releases from the incineration pose health threats and asked for an order to stop it. The hearing is to resume June 26. A spokesman for the Eastern Oregon depot said Monday the department has safely incinerated a few containers of the blister agent and would continue the work in the interim between court dates. Sources: http://www.oregonlive.com/newsflash/index.ssf?/base/national-25/1245121914265230.
A spokesman says the Umatilla Chemical Depot has begun burning mustard gas, the last substance in its chemical stockpile to be destroyed. On Friday, a judge took no action on a motion from environmentalists who say mercury releases from the incineration pose health threats and asked for an order to stop it. The hearing is to resume June 26. A spokesman for the Eastern Oregon depot said Monday the department has safely incinerated a few containers of the blister agent and would continue the work in the interim between court dates. Earlier, the depot destroyed nerve gas. An international treaty requires the destruction of the chemical weapons. Sources: http://www.ktvz.com/Global/story.asp?
