Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant
The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP) is a chemical weapons destruction facility that has been built to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile at the Pueblo Chemical Depot, in southeastern Colorado. The depot contains munitions that are part of the U.S. national chemical weapons stockpile. Before chemical weapons disposal began at PCAPP, these munitions contained 2,613 U.S. tons of mustard agent. The weapons have been stored at the 23,000-acre (93 km2) depot since the 1950s.
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Destruction of this stockpile is a requirement of the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty to which the United States is a party. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons is the implementing body of the Chemical Weapons Convention and monitors the progress of the nation's chemical weapons destruction programs.
The Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA) oversees the destruction of the Pueblo chemical weapons stockpile.
Bechtel Pueblo Team (BPT; consisting of Bechtel National, Inc., AECOM and Battelle Memorial Institute) will design, construct, pilot test, operate and close PCAPP.
Planning of activities
Destruction began in 2016 and the plant will operate until all the chemical weapons have been destroyed and closure activities (shut-down, dismantling, and restoration of site) have been completed. Elimination of chemical weapons/agent is slated for 2023.[1]
In 2010, the Pueblo Chemical Depot, in conjunction with the ACWA program, completed an environmental assessment (EA) to meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act, or NEPA, and Title 32 Code of Federal Regulations Part 651[2] regarding the construction and operation of the U.S. Army’s Explosive Destruction System (EDS) and/or other explosive destruction technologies (EDT), at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.[3] The EA was withdrawn and a new EA was completed in 2012.[4] The new EA focused on the use of EDT for destroying overpacked and reject munitions.[5] In April 2013, Program Executive Officer Conrad F. Whyne announced his selection of EDS to augment the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant for the safe destruction of chemical munitions unsuited for processing by the main plant’s automated equipment.[6] In spring 2018, the decision was made to end EDS and utilize three Static Detonation Chamber units to augment the main plant. Site preparations began in June 2019 with assembly of the SDC units completed in June 2020.[7]
History of chemical demilitarization in Colorado
Decade | Milestones |
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1950s |
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1980s[9] |
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1990s[10] |
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2000s |
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2010s |
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2020s |
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Technology
The Department of Defense conducted studies[32] to evaluate potential impacts of the elimination of these weapons using incineration and non-incineration methods. Four technologies were considered:
- incineration
- chemical neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation
- chemical neutralization followed by supercritical water oxidation and gas phase chemical reduction
- electrochemical oxidation
Neutralization followed by biotreatment was selected for the destruction of the Colorado stockpile.
The technology comprises the following steps:[33]
- Robotic equipment removes energetics (explosives) from the weapon, including the fuze and the burster. The energetics are disposed of at a permitted facility off site.
- The inside of the weapon is remotely accessed and mustard agent is washed out with high-pressure water.
- The mustard agent is mixed with hot water. The resulting mixture is neutralized with a caustic solution. The byproduct is called hydrolysate. The hydrolysate is treated biologically.
- The water is recovered for reuse in the destruction process and the excess activated sludge is secured in containers for disposal at an off-site permitted facility.
- Metal parts are heated to 1,000 °F (538 °C) for 15 minutes and are then recycled.
Explosive Destruction Technology (EDT)
After an assessment of problem munitions showed that their destruction would be difficult using neutralization and biotreatment, ACWA decided to explore use of Explosive Destruction Technology (aka Explosive Demolition Technology, Explosive Detonation Technology, EDT) for these projectiles.
EDT uses heat and pressure from explosion or just heat to destroy the munitions; it is not considered incineration and does not require disassembly of the weapons.[34] There are three general types of technologies that can destroy chemical weapons:
- Detonation technology – destroys the majority of the agent and explosive in the munition by detonating donor explosives wrapped around the munition. The resulting off-gasses are processed through secondary treatment to ensure agent destruction. Examples of detonation technology include the Transportable Detonation Chamber, or TDC, and the DAVINCH (Detonation of Ammunition in a Vacuum-Integrated Chamber).
- Neutralization technology – uses small explosive shaped charges to open the munition and consume the explosive in the burster and fuze. The agent is destroyed by subsequent neutralization. The U.S. Army’s EDS, is an example.
- Thermal destruction – uses the heat of the electrically heated containment vessel to deflagrate the munition and destroy the agent and energetics. The resulting gases are treated in an off-gas treatment system. The Static Detonation Chamber, or SDC, is an example of thermal destruction technology.
In April 2013, Program Executive Officer Conrad F. Whyne announced his selection of the U.S. Army’s EDS to augment the PCAPP for the safe destruction of chemical munitions unsuited for processing by the main plant’s automated equipment.[35]
The PCAPP EDS started processing on March 18 with the elimination of Department of Transportation (DOT) bottles which contain chemical agent drained from selected munitions over the years to assess the condition of the stockpile. On April 8, the first munitions were successfully processed. In June, operators at the PCAPP EDS took things up a notch with the introduction of 4.2-inch mortars into the destruction process. The first three mortars were joined by three 105 mm projectiles. All were safely detonated in the vessel on June 18. On July 16, the first 155 mm projectiles from Pueblo’s stockpile were safely destroyed in the PCAPP EDS. The PCAPP EDS completed its first campaign in February 2016, destroying 549 munitions that leaked or were sampled in the past and 11 bottles containing mustard agent. The second and final campaign ran from June 25 to Dec. 5, 2018.[36]
Static Detonation Chamber (SDC)
In spring 2018, PCAPP announced a proposal to procure three Static Detonation Chambers (SDC).
Due to performance issues identified during the first year of pilot testing, and in order to complete destruction of the stockpile by 2023, this technology was chosen to augment the main plant under a proposal by the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives program.[37] To meet the requirements of the National Environmental Policy Act and federal regulations, an Environmental Assessment was conducted. A Finding of No Significant Impact resulted from the assessment.[38]
Preparations at the SDC site began in June 2019.[39] The first Static Detonation Chamber components arrived at the depot on Aug. 6, 2019, in a convoy of more than a dozen flatbed trucks.[40] Assembly began Oct. 31, 2019. Protective, tension fabric coverings were erected around each unit, with construction beginning in September 2019. They were completed in June 2020.[41]
Public outreach
The Pueblo Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office was established in 1997 to serve as the community’s primary information resource on chemical weapons destruction in Colorado. The office responds to inquiries, provides information materials and coordinates guest speakers for a variety of different civic groups and organizations and interfaces with the governor-appointed Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission.
References
- "PEO ACWA – Frequently Asked Questions".
- "Summary of the National Environmental Policy Act". Epa.gov. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- "Pueblo Chemical Depot completes environmental assessment" (PDF). Peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
- "New Path Forward Charted for Explosive Destruction Technologies at Pueblo Chemical Depot" (PDF). Peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
- Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. "Program Timeline". Peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- "Destruction of WWII-era Chemical Stockpile Set to Begin". March 13, 2019.
- "Pueblo Static Detonation Chamber Assembly Complete". PEO ACWA.
- "U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot | U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity". Cma.army.mil. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
- Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (December 15, 2016). "Facts: PEO ACWA Program Legislation". Peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- "Archived copy" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 2017-06-21. Retrieved 2018-09-19.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Program Timeline | Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)". www.peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- "Chemical Demilitarization-Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives" (PDF). March 18, 2015. Retrieved September 26, 2017.
- Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (February 10, 2015). "Reaching for the Stars: PCAPP Recommended for Top OSHA Award". peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- "Explosive Destruction System Completes First Campaign, Program Timeline". Krdo.com. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
- "Army Begins Destroying Chemical Weapons in Colorado". Military.com. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- KKTV (December 10, 2017). "Two incidents pause chemical weapons destruction". kktv.com. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. "Pilot Testing Resumes at Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Plant". peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- "First Off-Site Shipment of Wastewater Successful | Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)". Peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 2017-09-26.
- "Reconfiguration of Boxed 105mm Munitions Complete | Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)". Peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 2018-03-28.
- "Training Begins for 4.2-inch Mortar Rounds | Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)". www.peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- "Agent Operations Resume at Pueblo Destruction Facility | Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)". www.peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 2018-06-18.
- "Plant Processing Rate High During First Demonstration Day".
- "Pueblo Plant Achieves Chemical Agent Destruction Milestone".
- "PCAPP Monthly Recap May 2019".
- "Pueblo Plant Destroys 50% of 155mm Munition Stockpile".
- "Pueblo Plant Destroys Half of Chemical Stockpile in Colorado".
- "Baseline Reconfiguration of 4.2-inch Mortar Rounds Complete".
- "Pueblo Plant Achieves Monthly Processing Record". Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives.
- "Pueblo Plant Sets Processing Record in July". Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives.
- Cooper, Amber Jo. "Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant safely destroys 300,000 projectiles". Fox 21 News.
- Hindi, Saja. "Pueblo Plant Starts New Round of Munitions Destruction". The Denver Post.
- Council, National Research (16 August 2006). "Review and Assessment of the Proposals for Design and Operation of Designated Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plants (DCAPP-Pueblo): Letter Report". Nap.edu. doi:10.17226/11714. Retrieved 17 July 2016.
- Geuss, Megan (February 26, 2017). "In southeastern Colorado, robots carefully disarm WWII-era chemical weapons". Arstechnica.com/. Retrieved April 3, 2017.
- Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. "Explosive Destruction System". peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved July 3, 2017.
- "Explosive Destruction System Selected to Augment Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant" (PDF). peoacwa.army.mil. April 18, 2013. Retrieved January 7, 2019.
- "Explosive Destruction System Begins Second Campaign | Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)". www.peoacwa.army.mil. Retrieved 2018-09-19.
- "Two Static Detonation Chambers Proposed to Treat Problematic Rounds".
- "Press Release: No Significant Environmental Impacts to Result from Installation and Operation of Static Detonation Chambers at Pueblo Chemical Depot".
- "Static Detonation Chamber Construction Begins at Pueblo Plant".
- "First Static Detonation Chamber Components Arrive at Pueblo Plant".
- "Pueblo Static Detonation Chamber Units Covered, Energized".
- "Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives Website". Department of Defense; Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. Retrieved 2009-06-01.
This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Government document: "".
External links
- Centers for Disease Control – Chemical Demilitarization
- Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program
- Pueblo County Sheriff’s Office CSEPP
- "Department of Public Health and Environment". Cdphe.state.co.us. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- "United States Department of Defense". Defenselink.mil. Retrieved 22 May 2018.
- U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
- Federal Emergency Management Agency
- U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity