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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)

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      Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)

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Pueblo Plant Regains a Containment Area After Thorough Cleanup

Published: May 23, 2019 | Category: PCAPP News, Safety
The Projectile Mortar Disassembly system arm in the Explosion Containment Room of the Enhanced Reconfiguration Building robotically disassembles munitions by removing their nose closures and bursters. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has three ECRs, one of which has returned to operation after being shut down for a mustard agent cleanup.

The Projectile Mortar Disassembly system arm in the Explosion Containment Room of the Enhanced Reconfiguration Building robotically disassembles munitions by removing their nose closures and bursters. The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has three ECRs, one of which has returned to operation after being shut down for a mustard agent cleanup.

An Explosion Containment Room is back in operation at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant after cleanup that followed the discovery of leaked mustard agent on a munition earlier this year.

“This team continued to find ways to improve recovery efforts, including using steam cleaners and decontamination solutions to aid in getting all that pervasive agent removed,” said Kim Jackson, plant manager.

Similar to motor oil, mustard agent is viscous and difficult to remove, Jackson said. The intensive effort by workers wearing protective equipment required a mechanical rebuild of the room’s processing line after decontamination was completed.

In February, an alert control room worker monitoring camera feeds noticed signs of leaked liquid on a 155mm projectile at the Nose Closure Removal Station and stopped processing in the ECR – one of three at PCAPP – before any further areas could be contaminated. Plant officials said this prevented work from being delayed by a wider cleanup of other stations.

The ECR is an area where mustard agent-filled munitions, stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot since the 1950s, have their energetic components removed through various stations. The munitions are then drained, and the agent inside destroyed through a neutralization followed by biotreament process. Some munitions may have corrosion or other issues; these are stored for later destruction in the Static Detonation Chambers, currently under construction in Europe and awaiting installation at PCAPP later this year.

As of late April, PCAPP’s acting site project manager, Walton Levi, reported the facility had destroyed 28% of the remaining mustard agent in its stockpile.

Related Posts

  • 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 Training

Other Recent PCAPP News

  • Static Detonation Chamber Trial Testing Concludes

    Static Detonation Chamber Trial Testing Concludes

    May 13, 2022
  • Colorado Commission Welcomes New Member

    Colorado Commission Welcomes New Member

    May 4, 2022
  • Backup Systems Allow for Safe Repairs

    Backup Systems Allow for Safe Repairs

    March 28, 2022
  • Color Coding Boosts Chemical Weapon Destruction

    Color Coding Boosts Chemical Weapon Destruction

    March 23, 2022
  • Plant Closely Monitors Permit Requirements

    Plant Closely Monitors Permit Requirements

    February 24, 2022

PCAPP Safety Videos

  • PCAPP Safety: Written in the Stars

    PCAPP Safety: Written in the Stars

    June 8, 2015
  • Pueblo Plant Operational Readiness Review

    Pueblo Plant Operational Readiness Review

    February 25, 2014
  • Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Hazard School Board

    Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant Hazard School Board

    August 16, 2013
  • PCAPP and the Community Share in National Safety Award

    PCAPP and the Community Share in National Safety Award

    March 31, 2009

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