NSCWM Items

Large Quantities of NSCWM Items Currently in Storage... 

Recommendation PMNSCM should develop a strategy for treating chemical bombs and projectiles that are too large for treatment in the EDS, in the DEC (if successfnlly demonstrated), or in planned facilities. One option is to test the British drill-throngh valve (DTV) system, modify it if necessary, and prepare it for nse on existing large NSCWM items and other snch items that may be fonnd in the fntnre (Recommendation 3-4). 

The Chemical Transfer Facility (CTF) is an R D facility at APG that has processed munitions, sample bottles, and ton containers containing a variety of chemical fills. The CTF is not capable of processing explosively configured munitions but does contain a chemical agent transfer system that can drain ton containers. There is no treaty-imposed time limit on operation of the CTF, and if its schedule permits, it can dispose of the container items listed above. PMNSCM has proposed using the CTF as part of MAPS to destroy appropriate NSCWM items found at APG. 

There are large numbers of NSCWM items that are presently buried and that are likely to require removal and treat-... 

Since buried CWM is known to exist at many sites (both current and former military facilities), the transition should include an assessment to ensure that these sites have treatment facilities that are adequate to treat the type and volume of buried CWM. Although the pressure of meeting the treaty deadline does not exist for buried NSCWM items, the Army still needs to set a reasonable schedule for the eventual destruction of this buried materiel. It is likely that the removal of buried CWM from the ground prior to destruction will pose the greatest risk, so the Army must have in place sufficient measures to ensure that human health is protected during removal operations. 

Secondary wastes from agent destruction processes (such as occur in the EDS) include the primary reaction products, called neutralents, the excess reagent dilute aqueous rinses of the reaction vessel, and cleaning solutions used to remove residuals before processing the next NSCWM item or agent (NRC, 2001a). Secondary wastes will also include residuals from further treatment of neutralent, if further treatment is performed and such treatment generates additional treatment residuals. 

Several mobile treatment systems discussed earlier in this chapter can be dispatched to the site of an NSCWM discovery to perform on-site treatment of the item. An alternative to the use of mobile systems is to overpack the chemical waste to be treated in a multiple-round container (MRC) and transport it to an off-site facility for treatment or storage. 

PMNSCM has plans for construction of a facility (PBNSF) designed to dispose of these items. It may also be nsed to dispose of other finds of CAIS or CW munitions if transportation and pnbhc acceptance issues can be resolved. As discnssed previonsly, if transportation to PBNSF is not allowed, other disposal options, including the deployment of a mobile system with higher throughput than the EDS or the bnilding of more facilities at the sites where NSCWM is discovered, may need to be implemented. 

Some 85 percent of all recovered NSCWM in the United States is stored at Pine Bluff Arsenal. The Army has designed the Pine Bluff Non-Stockpile Facility (PBNSF) to destroy the almost 70,000 items stored there, but the facility is not expected to be operational until 2006. As far as the committee can ascertain, the Army has not developed a realistic timetable for destruction of this quantity of NSCWM that is consistent with current treaty deadlines. The committee is concerned that without clear planning and extraordinary efforts, the 2007 treaty deadline will almost certainly not be met (see PBNSF discussion and Finding and Recommendation 2-2 in Chapter 2). 

Chemical warfare materiel (CWM) encompasses diverse items that were used during 60 years of efforts by the United States to develop a capability for condncting chemical warfare. Non-Stockpile CWM (NSCWM) is materiel not included in the current U.S. inventory of chemical munitions and includes buried materiel, recovered materiel, components of binary chemical weapons, former production facilities, and miscellaneous materiel. NSCWM that had been buried on former military sites is increasingly being dug up as the land is developed for other purposes. Other NSCWM may be found on or near the surface at former research facilities or test and firing ranges. 

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