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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: Destroy Chemical Weapons Stockpile

      Vision: Chemical Weapons Free by 2023

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Kentucky Chemical Agent Destruction Plant Makes History

Published: March 18, 2020 | Category: BGCAPP News, Program Milestones, Technology
A munitions handler guides a GB nerve agent projectile into a conveyor tray prior to processing at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The plant made history in January by becoming the only U.S. chemical demilitarization facility to destroy two different chemical agents at the same time.

A munitions handler guides a GB nerve agent projectile into a conveyor tray prior to processing at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. The plant made history in January by becoming the only U.S. chemical demilitarization facility to destroy two different chemical agents at the same time.

The Blue Grass plant recently achieved two major milestones, one of which is a first for the chemical demilitarization program.

“This is the first time in more than a decade that nerve agent has been processed in a destruction facility,” said Dr. Candace Coyle, site project manager, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. “In fact, this is the only site in demilitarization history where we are processing two different agents at the same time.”

The plant began destroying mustard agent projectiles in the Explosive Destruction Technology, or EDT, June 7, 2019, and destroyed the first GB nerve agent projectiles in the main plant Jan. 17. The last baseline programmatic destruction of nerve agent concluded in 2008 with the processing of the last land mine containing VX at the Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Alabama. At each of the previous demilitarization sites, chemical destruction campaigns were run one at a time, completing one type of agent before destroying the next.

“When we learned the mustard agent projectiles would be problematic for processing through the main plant, we incorporated the EDT for their safe destruction,” said Ron Hink, project manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “As a separate facility, it does not share destruction systems with the main plant, so we are able to process two different agents at one time. We have also upgraded the Laboratory to monitor for both agent types.”

At a March 4 quarterly public meeting, attendees conveyed their congratulations and acknowledgement of the plant’s start of nerve-agent operations.

“Those of us who have been around a long time are particularly appreciative of where we’re at,” said Craig Williams, co-chair, Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board. “I echo the sentiment of the appreciation for the openness and transparency associated with the program.”

BGCAPP Technology Articles

  • VX Destruction Requires Change in Air Monitoring

    VX Destruction Requires Change in Air Monitoring

    Published: March 3, 2021
  • Specialized Equipment Arrives at Blue Grass Plant

    Specialized Equipment Arrives at Blue Grass Plant

    Published: November 18, 2020
  • Public Comment Invited on Plant Permit Modification Request

    Public Comment Invited on Plant Permit Modification Request

    Published: October 27, 2020
  • New Equipment Installed for Training

    New Equipment Installed for Training

    Published: October 26, 2020
  • Decision Made Regarding Use of Secondary System

    Decision Made Regarding Use of Secondary System

    Published: September 10, 2020
  • A munitions handler marks a box containing mustard agent-filled projectiles prior to destruction in the Explosive Destruction Technology facility at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. Destruction of 50% of the mustard munitions was achieved Sept. 1.

    Half of Blue Grass Mustard Agent Destroyed

    Published: September 2, 2020
  • Testing Simulated Warheads Assists Destruction Efforts

    Testing Simulated Warheads Assists Destruction Efforts

    Published: August 31, 2020
  • A worker drills holes in the concrete floor to install an equipment mounting plate in the Munitions Demilitarization Building at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    Rocket Processing Changes Lead to Plant Updates

    Published: July 31, 2020
  • A robot places a containerized test rocket warhead on an autonomous vehicle during factory acceptance testing of the Rocket Warhead Containerization System for the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant.

    New Rocket Processing System Passes Test

    Published: July 9, 2020
  • Toxic Area entrants decontaminate the Agent Neutralization System room at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant with a caustic solution after the conclusion of the GB 8-inch projectile campaign. (Still image from closed-circuit television.)

    Workers Start Facility Decontamination

    Published: June 16, 2020
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Related BGCAPP News

  • System Starts Processing 8-inch Test Projectiles

    System Starts Processing 8-inch Test Projectiles

    May 25, 2018
  • Team Works to Ensure Critical Balance

    Team Works to Ensure Critical Balance

    May 18, 2018
  • Technicians Start Air Filtration System for First Time

    Technicians Start Air Filtration System for First Time

    May 16, 2018
  • Water Systems Turned Over to Operations

    Water Systems Turned Over to Operations

    April 27, 2018
  • Experts: 21 Systems Turned Over to Operations

    Experts: 21 Systems Turned Over to Operations

    March 29, 2018
  • Major Neutralization System Passes Demonstration

    Major Neutralization System Passes Demonstration

    March 21, 2018
  • Key Blue Grass Systems Tested

    Key Blue Grass Systems Tested

    February 28, 2018

Related BGCAPP Info

  • Facts: Blue Grass ACWA Test Equipment

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