RICHMOND, Ky. — A stockpile of Cold War-era projectiles carrying a deadly nerve agent has been destroyed in Kentucky, the first project of a new chemical weapons destruction plant to be completed.
Officials at the The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant have destroyed a stock of 8-inch projectiles that carried about 28 tons of GB agent, also known as sarin. The munitions were destroyed May 11, according to a release from the facility.
The full stockpile of weapons before the facility opened included more than 500 tons (453.6 metric tons) of mustard gas, sarin or VX agent. It is stored at an Army depot near Richmond, some of it since the 1940s.
“This is not just a completion of a campaign, but it marks the complete destruction of a type of chemical weapon from the U.S. stockpile,” the facility’s project manager, Candace Coyle, said in the release.
Nerve agent destruction operations began at the plant on Jan. 17, using a process of neutralization with water and chemicals.
This article was written by The Associated Press from The Associated Press and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com.
Read more: Medal of Honor Recipient Dead at 41 After Yearslong Lung Cancer Fight
© Copyright 2020 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Be the first to comment