Officials at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant say a vapor emission has been detected inside a storage facility. The detection came Tuesday afternoon in a service magazine where 155 mustard agent projectiles are held.
Dave Webb is plant manager for the static detonation chamber. Webb said the incident presented no health threat to workers, the community, or environment. “We have never received at the time of the event or since then any readings indicating a release of agent vapors outside of engineering controls,” said Webb.
Prior to initiation of disposal about a year ago, Army officials reported leakers periodically inside igloo structures holding the aging weapons.
Webb noted it’s expected one of the projectiles inside the storage site leaked. He added it will be over-packed and undergo the same disposal as other mustard agent munitions. The demilitarization official said mustard munitions heading for the detonation chamber are transported in a monitored enhanced on-site container. Webb explained this is the first such incident since the operation began last summer.?
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