Milestones in U.S. Chemical Weapons Storage and Destruction With more than 2,600 dedicated employees plus contractor support staff, the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency (CMA) leads the world in chemical weapons destruction with a demonstrated history of safely storing, recovering, assessing and disposing of U.S. chemical weapons and related materials. CMA manages all U.S. chemical materiel except for the disposal of two weapons stockpiles that fall under the Department of Defense’s U.S. Army Element Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives pilot neutralization program. Through its Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program, CMA works with local emergency preparedness and response agencies at weapons stockpile locations. 1960-1982 1960s and before 1971 1979 The United States begins stockpiling and The United States finishes transferring The Army constructs and begins using chemical weapons against Germany chemical munitions from Okinawa, Japan, operating the Chemical Agent in World War I, which lasts from 1914 to to Johnston Island, located about 800 Munitions Disposal System (CAMDS), 1918. The weapons are securely stored miles from Hawaii, in September of 1971. a pilot incineration facility located at U.S. military installations at home at what is now the Deseret Chemical and abroad. 1972 Depot (DCD), Utah. The Army tests disposal equipment and processes The Edgewood Arsenal, Md., produces The Army forms the U.S. Army Materiel at the plant. More than 91 tons of mustard and but the Arsenal Command’s Program Manager for chemical agent are safely destroyed. is not large enough to store the agent Demilitarization of Chemical Materiel, and new installations are constructed in headquartered at Picatinny Arsenal, Huntsville, Ala., Denver, Colo., Pine Bluff, near Dover, NJ. Ark., and Tooele, Utah. The Army develops environmentally sound After World War II ends in 1945, the chemical weapons disposal methods using United States produces nerve agents GB at incineration and chemical neutralization. near Denver, and Project Eagle incinerates six million VX in Newport, Ind. pounds of mustard agent and neutralizes eight million pounds of GB Pilot incineration facility in Utah During the 1960s, the U.S. Army destroys () at Rocky Mountain Arsenal, Colo., chemical weapons using ocean dumping, between 1972 and 1976. 1982 open-pit burning and land burial. In The United States starts construction 1969, the National Academy of Sciences 1973 of the Integrated Binary Production recommends that ocean dumping The organization relocates to the Facility at Pine Bluff Arsenal (PBA), Ark. be avoided. Edgewood Arsenal, now known Binary chemical weapons were designed In the late 1960s President Nixon halts as, Edgewood Area of Aberdeen to mix two non-lethal chemicals in the production of chemical weapons. Proving Ground (APG), Md. flight to a target to form nerve agent. The binary weapons program leads to 1975 chemical weapons elimination talks Organizational name is changed to between the United States and the Department of the Army Project Soviet Union later in the decade. Manager for Chemical Demilitarization and Installation Restoration. 1978 Organizational name is changed

Stored chemical weapons to U.S. Army Toxic and Hazardous Materials Agency (USATHAMA).

Pine Bluff Integrated Binary Production Facility

CMA_Milestones_07_11.indd OVER Milestones in U.S. Chemical Weapons Storage and Destruction (continued) 1985-1992

1985 1989 1991 Construction on a demilitarization Organizational name is changed to Congress expands its chemical weapons facility begins on Johnston Island Program Executive Officer-Program destruction directive to include the in the Pacific Ocean. Construction Manager for Chemical Demilitarization. disposal of non-stockpile materiel — is complete in 1987. items that are not part of the unitary Construction begins on Tooele chemical weapons stockpile. Chemical Agent Disposal Facility 1986 (TOCDF) at DCD, Utah. Public Law 99-145 requires the safe 1992 U.S. Secretary of State James Baker and destruction of the U.S. unitary chemical The U.S. Army Chemical Materiel former Soviet Union Foreign Minister weapons stockpile. It also requires disposal Destruction Agency is established Eduard Shevardnadze sign a Memorandum facilities to be cleaned, dismantled and to consolidate responsibility of Understanding (MOU) on chemical disposed of according to applicable laws for the destruction of chemical weapons in Jackson Hole, Wyo. The MOU and regulations. The stockpile is stored materials into one office. at eight military installations within the calls for cooperation and information continental United States – APG, Md., PBA, exchange between the two countries Public Law 102-484 establishes Ark., DCD, Utah, concerning their chemical weapons Citizens’ Advisory Commissions at each (UMCD), Ore., capabilities. The two countries then continental U.S. stockpile location. The (NECD), Ind., (ANAD), sign an agreement to destroy much of state governor appoints seven members, Ala., (BGAD), Ky., their stockpiles. That agreement spurs with two more members from state (PCD), Colo. – and international talks culminating in government agencies responsible for on Johnston Island in the Pacific Ocean. the international treaty known as the chemical disposal program oversight. Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). USATHAMA’s chemical weapons management functions are split off to become the Program Manager for Chemical Munitions (Demilitarization and Binary). USATHAMA becomes the U.S. Army Environmental Center. 1988 The Army and the Federal Emergency Management Agency establish the U.S. Secretary of State Soviet Union Citizens’ Advisory Commission Chemical Stockpile Emergency James Baker Foreign Minister Preparedness Program (CSEPP) in Eduard Shevardnadze In compliance with Public Law 102-484, response to Public Law 99-145 calling the Army creates the Non-Stockpile for added public protection. Although 1990 Chemical Materiel Project (NSCMP) the new law reflects a greater awareness The Army’s prototype full-scale disposal to develop systems to safely assess, of the need to be prepared for a possible facility, Chemical Agent treat and destroy five categories of chemical accident, the Army’s storage Disposal System (JACADS), begins materiel not part and maintenance of the stockpile has destruction of the stockpile on Johnston of the declared stockpile: binary been and continues to be operated safely. Island. The island’s stockpile accounts chemical warfare materiel, former for more than 6 percent of the nation’s chemical weapons production facilities, original stockpile. miscellaneous chemical warfare materiel, buried chemical warfare materiel and recovered chemical warfare materiel.

A CSEPP training exercise First full-scale disposal facility, Johnston Atoll 1988 - 1990 Chemical Agent Disposal System, begins destruction in 1990 The Army destroys BZ agent at PBA, Ark. Chemical weapons from West Germany and a small number of recovered World War II-era chemical weapons from the Solomon Recovered M139 bomblet Islands are shipped to Johnston Island. Organizational name is changed to Program Manager for Chemical Demilitarization (PMCD). The United States halts all binary Pine Bluff Arsenal weapons programs in accordance with the American-Soviet MOU. Recovered 4.2-inch mortar Milestones in U.S. Chemical Weapons Storage and Destruction (continued) 1994-2003 1994 Construction begins on the Anniston NSCMP treats 10 sarin-filled bomblets Chemical Agent Disposal Facility recovered at Rocky Mountain Arsenal, The U.S. Army Chemical Materiel (ANCDF) at ANAD, Ala., and on the Colo., using the Explosive Destruction Destruction Agency is renamed to the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal System (EDS) for the first time. The U.S. Army Chemical Demilitarization Facility (UMCDF) at UMCD, Ore. EDS is a transportable system designed and Remediation Activity (CDRA) and to provide safe and environmentally placed under the U.S. Army Chemical and secure on-site treatment of chemical Biological Defense Command (CBDCOM). 1999 NSCMP Core Group forms to gain public warfare materiel. The Army establishes the Alternative input on the asssessment and treatment Technologies and Approaches Project to of chemical warfare materiel. investigate alternatives to incineration technology for the safe disposal of bulk Construction begins at Aberdeen chemical agent stockpiles at APG, Md. Chemical Agent Disposal Facility and NECD, Ind. (ABCDF) at APG, Md. NSCMP meets CWC requirement to 1995 destroy two categories of binary CDRA is separated from CBDCOM and weapons components known as renamed PMCD. “excess other components” and “parity other components.” CSEPP is restructured to streamline EDS treating round procedures and enhance operational Construction begins at Pine Bluff responsiveness. Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (PBCDF) at PBA, Ark. 2002 1996 TOCDF completes destruction of all nerve TOCDF at DCD in Utah, with about 2000 agent GB (sarin) stored at DCD, Utah. 44 percent of the nation’s original JACADS completes destruction of its ANCDF completes disposal facility testing. stockpile of nerve and blister chemical weapons stockpile, making it agents, begins destroying chemical the first stockpile facility to complete The Army announces plans to accelerate weapons. Storage and maintenance its mission. JACADS workers destroyed destruction of the chemical agent of the entire U.S. stockpile continues more than 412,000 chemical weapons. stockpiles at APG, Md., and NECD, Ind. to be carried out safely. Redesign and construction of facilities to allow for accelerated disposal 1997 begins in and . The United States ratifies the CWC, Public Law 107-248 directs management agreeing to dispose of its unitary of chemical demilitarization activities chemical weapons stockpile, binary in and to the chemical weapons, recovered chemical Program Manager Assembled Chemical weapons and former chemical weapons Weapons Alternatives. production facilities. Last mine destroyed at JACADS Construction begins on the Newport 2003 Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (NECDF) PMCD merges with the stockpile storage at NECD, Ind. mission within the Army Soldier and Biological Chemical Command to form 2001 the Chemical Materials Agency (CMA.) CMA is created to store, assess and NSCMP’s Rapid Response System (RRS) dispose of chemical materials. The treats more than 700 Chemical Agent agency is also tasked to work with state Identification Set (CAIS) items stored and local emergency response agencies at DCD, Utah. CAIS consist of glass vials, Chemical Weapons Convention for emergency preparedness activities bottles and ampoules containing small in communities near stockpile sites. Public Law 104-208 funds a new, amounts of chemical agent or industrial separately managed pilot program to chemicals that were once used for ANCDF begins disposing of chemical identify and demonstrate alternatives to training purposes. weapons stored at ANAD, which held 7 percent of the original U.S. chemical incineration technology for the disposal The Army begins studies to accelerate weapons stockpile. of assembled chemical weapons. The disposal operations in response to the law establishes the Program Manager terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001. ABCDF begins disposing of mustard agent Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment. stored in large steel bulk containers The United States meets the CWC treaty at APG, Md. The APG mustard stockpile The pilot program is intended to provide requirement to destroy 20 percent of the accounted for 5 percent of the original alternative disposal technology for the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile. stockpiles at BGAD, Ky., and PCD, Colo. U.S. chemical weapons stockpile.

OVER Milestones in U.S. Chemical Weapons Storage and Destruction (continued) 2003-2007

NSCMP begins cleaning obsolete large NECDF begins disposal operations of The United States meets the CWC treaty steel bulk containers at the Pine Bluff nerve agent VX stored in large steel bulk requirement to destroy 100 percent of Ton Container Decontamination Facility containers. NECD held 4 percent of the its former chemical weapons production at PBA, Ark. original U.S. chemical weapons stockpile. facilities, eliminating its chemical weapons production capacity. The United States meets the CWC treaty PBCDF begins disposal operations. PBA requirement to destroy 80 percent stored 12 percent of the original U.S. TOCDF begins destroying mustard agent— of its former chemical weapons chemical stockpile. the last remaining agent stockpiled at production facilities. DCD. All nerve agent weapons have been safely and completely destroyed. 2004 The NSCMP Pine Bluff Explosive UMCDF begins disposing of chemical Destruction System (PBEDS) begins weapons stored at UMCD, which held operations to treat more than 1,200 12 percent of the original U.S. chemical munitions at PBA, Ark. weapons stockpile. TOCDF and ABCDF reach 50 percent 2007 destruction milestones for munitions NECD begins safe shipment of and bulk agent, respectively. NECDF caustic wastewater to Veolia Environmental Services in Port Arthur, The Single CAIS Access and Neutralization Positioning a weapons transport container at PBCDF Texas, for final treatment and disposal. System (SCANS) performs its first treatment of a CAIS item at Fort McClellan, The Army meets the CWC milestone Ala. SCANS is a mobile, single-use device NSCMP opens the Binary Destruction of destroying 45 percent of the U.S. for accessing and treating individual Facility at PBA, Ark., to destroy the chemical agent stockpile. CAIS items. nation’s remaining inventory of binary precursor chemicals DF and QL. ABCDF completes Resource Conservation and Recovery Act closure, becoming the 2006 first U.S. chemical demilitarization site Treaty inspectors with the Organisation to achieve permitted closure. for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons CMA officials, Veolia Environmental verify the complete destruction Services’ work force and Tri-State of ABCDF’s hydrolysate at DuPont, Motor Transit drivers celebrate a half marking the official 100 percent million miles safely driven—achieved destruction of the APG stockpile. transporting wastewater from the NECDF Single CAIS Access and Neutralization System (SCANS) Demolition of all ABCDF buildings not in Newport, Ind., to Veolia’s Port Arthur, held for other uses is completed. Texas, waste treatment plant. NSCMP begins testing its Munitions Treaty inspectors verify that the former Assessment and Processing System Last VX nerve agent-filled spray chemical warfare production facility at at APG, Md. The facility will treat tank in the U.S. chemical weapons NECD has been destroyed. chemical and acidic smoke munitions stockpile destroyed. recovered in Maryland. 2005 ABCDF destroys all drained mustard agent from the APG stockpile.

VX Spray tank being unloaded from its shipping container at UMCDF. Building 143 at NECD, the site of the final step in the VX production process, Safe destruction of 50 percent of U.S. was demolished in March 2006 chemical agent stockpile achieved.

Last ton container at ABCDF NSCMP meets CWC 100 percent The Army destroys 50 percent—more destruction deadline of all binary than 1.7 million—of the munitions in the chemical warfare materiel. TOCDF destroys its millionth chemical original U.S. chemical weapons stockpile. agent munition at DCD, Utah. No other U.S. site will accomplish NSCMP finishes chemically neutralizing this as only DCD had more than a the entire U.S. supply of precursor million munitions in its stockpile. chemical agents DF and QL. Milestones in U.S. Chemical Weapons Storage and Destruction (continued) 2008-2011 2008 In October 2009, CMA celebrates the safe CMA achieves the destruction of 80 destruction of its two millionth munition percent of the U.S. chemical agent Last rocket in CMA disposal mission since Entry-Into-Force of the CWC. stockpile since Entry-Into-Force. destroyed, reducing cumulative storage risk to public by 94 percent. NSCMP uses its Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy System and the Digital PBCDF destroys the final VX-filled Radiography and Computed Tomography M23 landmine— the last nerve agent- System to complete an assessment filled munition in the PBA stockpile. mission in Columboola, Australia— assessing 144 munitions recovered there. PBCDF safely completes disposal of the last mustard agent-filled ton container, (from left to right) NECD Commander Lt. Col. William marking the successful completion of D. Hibner, Sergeant Major Ricardo Soto-Acevedo and chemical weapons disposal operations CMA Director Conrad Whyne are shown casing the at PBA. colors at the Newport Deactivation ceremony. NSCMP completes three successful assessment and destruction missions 2010 at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., Camp Sibert, The last ton container of the Newport Chemical NECD receives a letter from the Depot stockpile is ready for delivery to the Ala., and Spring Valley, Washington, D.C., Newport Chemical Agent Disposal Facility. Indiana Department of Environmental using the transportable EDS. Management (IDEM) stating that total closure as required by the Resource 2011 NECDF completes its bulk nerve agent Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) VX disposal mission, and shipment TOCDF reaches a significant milestone — had been completed. IDEM’s approval of 11,111,111 consecutive man hours of the resulting caustic wastewater NECD’s closure certification reports for for final treatment and disposal. without a lost workday injury; hazardous waste storage areas used in significantly, this milestone occurred on UMCDF destroys the final VX-filled M23 support of the neutralization of the VX Jan. 11, 2011 or 1/11/11. The milestone landmine — the last nerve agent-filled nerve agent stockpile closes the active also marks more than five years without a munitions in the UMCD stockpile. portion of the RCRA permit that has been lost workday due to an injury on the job. in place since December 1999. ANCDF is inducted into the State of NSCMP completes its mission at the Alabama Engineering Hall of Fame. PBEDS site, destroying more than 1,200 munitions cached at PBA, Ark.— marking CAMDS operators perform the final the destruction of all recovered non- Demilitarization Protective Ensemble stockpile materiel declared prior to the (DPE) entry. United States Entry-Into-Force of the CMA commemorates the end of operations CWC. These munitions included 4.2-inch at the PBCDF with a ceremony featuring mortars and German Traktor rockets. recognition from CMA, depot and Army PBEDS began operations in June 2006. Material Command officials.

A munitions handler guides the last Workers safely destroy the last CMA achieves destruction of 85 percent M 23 VX land mine in the Anniston Army Depot explosively-configured mustard-agent of the U.S. chemical agent stockpile since stockpile as it heads down the conveyor. filled munition at the TOCDF located at Entry-Into-Force. DCD, Utah. DCD makes the last of more than 20,000 CMA destroys all of the VX in its disposal safe on-site container deliveries to the mission inventory when ANCDF destroys TOCDF. Five days later, the TOCDF destroys its final VX-filled land mine. the last of 6,399 mustard agent-filled bulk ton containers originally stored 2009 at DCD. Veolia Environmental Services in Port Arthur, Disposal operations for the 108 bulk Texas, celebrates destruction of more than containers filled with mustard agent one million gallons of caustic wastewater, conclude at the ANCDF. The disposal commonly referred to as hydrolysate, from campaign lasted 63 days. the NECD in Indiana. A ceremony was held June 15 at Pine Bluff Pine Bluff Ton Container Decontamination The Army reaches 60 percent destruction— Arsenal (PBA),Ark., to celebrate the completion Facility, operated by NSCMP, completes more than 1.9 million—of the munitions in of the Pine Bluff Explosive Destruction System decontaminating 4,307 ton containers, the original U.S. chemical weapons stockpile. (PBEDS) mission. resulting in 6.5 million pounds of The CAMDS at DCD, Utah, celebrates CMA reaches 75 percent destruction steel recycled. 30 years as the primary research, test of the munitions in the U.S. chemical and development facility for the U.S. weapons stockpile since Entry-Into-Force chemical weapons disposal program. of the CWC.