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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)
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      Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)


      Mission: The safe elimination of chemical weapons at Pueblo and Blue Grass by Sept. 30, 2023

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      Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

      BGCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky.

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      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

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Rejected Munitions Take Different Route to Destruction

Published: October 3, 2016 | Category: PCAPP News, Technology
A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant ordnance technician lowers a 155mm projectile onto a conveyor and prepares to send it to the Explosive Containment Room where energetics are removed robotically.

A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant ordnance technician lowers a 155mm projectile onto a conveyor and prepares to send it to the Explosive Containment Room where energetics are removed robotically.

During the course of pilot testing and operations at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP), there will be munitions unsuitable for processing by the plant’s automated system.

“A reject is a munition that cannot be processed in the plant’s Enhanced Reconfiguration Building or Agent Processing Building,” said Rick Holmes, Bechtel Pueblo Team project manager, at the Sept. 29 Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission meeting.

Once identified, the reject is overpacked in a Single Round Container and returned to the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot for storage. Rejects will be processed by the program’s Explosive Destruction System (EDS) at a later date, said Holmes.

During the plant’s initial 155mm campaign, projectiles are treated as rejects if the PMD cannot remove the energetics, the lifting plug, fuze well cup or burster, after two attempts.

“We make good effort to get the parts separated, but it is better to have a reject than to create a leaker [a munition that releases liquid or vapor],” said Holmes.

Similarly, if the Munitions Washout System cannot access agent, if the ram gets stuck in the munition or if it is overweight at the Munitions Treatment Unit, the munition will be rejected, Holmes said.

PCAPP ordnance technicians manually inspect all munitions before sending them to the PMD. If the technicians observe a condition that could affect worker safety or plant processes, the munition is rejected.

More PCAPP Technology Articles

  • Agent-filled 4.2-inch mortar rounds are monitored during Static Detonation Chamber agent trial testing operations at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    Static Detonation Chamber Trial Testing Concludes

    Published: May 13, 2022
  • After a chemical weapon is drained of agent and rinsed with high-pressure hot water, Agent Washwater Separator tanks collect fluid before sending it to Agent Neutralization Reactors to destroy the mustard agent. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has two tanks, providing the plant with redundancy when neutralizing agent.

    Backup Systems Allow for Safe Repairs

    Published: March 28, 2022
  • All chemical weapons from the Colorado stockpile are sorted into four color-coded lots to reduce delays in destruction due to problematic munitions.

    Color Coding Boosts Chemical Weapon Destruction

    Published: March 23, 2022
  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant ordnance technician holds the first 4.2-inch mortar round to be processed in the Static Detonation Chamber complex.

    First Agent Destroyed in Static Detonation Chamber

    Published: February 22, 2022
  • Static Detonation Chamber ordnance technicians Rachelle S. and Mike W. remove a 57mm conventional ammunition round from its fiber tube during SDC non-agent Trial Burn Testing.

    Conventional Explosives Demonstrate Static Detonation Chamber Capability

    Published: February 15, 2022
  • Munitions transporters unload inert 4.2-inch mortar rounds from the back of a Modified Ammunition Vehicle during Integrated Operations Demonstrations. (Portions of this photograph have been blurred in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines)

    Pueblo Static Detonation Chamber Team Demonstrates Operations

    Published: February 2, 2022
PCAPP EDS

Related Pages and Facts

  • Explosive Destruction System

    November 15, 2016

Related News

  • Special Containers Protect Some Projectiles

    Special Containers Protect Some Projectiles

    August 10, 2016
  • First Explosive Destruction System Campaign Successfully Completed

    First Explosive Destruction System Campaign Successfully Completed

    February 19, 2016
  • Site Project Manager Recounts Year of Accomplishments

    Site Project Manager Recounts Year of Accomplishments

    January 8, 2016
  • System Restarts Chemical Agent Destruction Operations in Colorado

    System Restarts Chemical Agent Destruction Operations in Colorado

    October 6, 2015
  • Repairs Complete for Explosive Destruction System in Pueblo

    Repairs Complete for Explosive Destruction System in Pueblo

    September 28, 2015

Related Videos

  • Colorado System Completes First Step in Munition Elimination

    Colorado System Completes First Step in Munition Elimination

    March 8, 2016
  • U.S. Army Destroys Reject Chemical Weapons Safely, Efficiently

    U.S. Army Destroys Reject Chemical Weapons Safely, Efficiently

    October 22, 2015
  • ACWA Snapshot: PCAPP Explosive Destruction System: The First Step in Eliminating Munitions

    ACWA Snapshot: PCAPP Explosive Destruction System: The First Step in Eliminating Munitions

    October 9, 2015
  • PCAPP Explosive Destruction System: The First Step in Eliminating Munitions

    PCAPP Explosive Destruction System: The First Step in Eliminating Munitions

    October 7, 2015
  • Honoring Our Commitment: The Start of Chemical Stockpile Destruction in Colorado

    Honoring Our Commitment: The Start of Chemical Stockpile Destruction in Colorado

    February 12, 2015

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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)