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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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      PCAPP is safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile currently in storage at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado.

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Pueblo Plant Resumes Chemical Weapons Destruction

Published: June 8, 2020 | Category: Environment, PCAPP News, Technology
The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has resumed destruction operations after pausing its elimination of mustard agent.

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant has resumed destruction operations after pausing its elimination of mustard agent.

The Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant resumed destruction operations June 4 after pausing its elimination of mustard agent.

“We had to halt processing after it was discovered the B05 system and some of the piping from the Spent Decontamination System tanks to the Agent Neutralization Reactors showed evidence of previous pinhole leaks,” said Kim Jackson, plant manager, PCAPP.

Due to the piping issue, operations in the plant’s Agent Processing Building paused April 27-May 8 then restarted May 8-12 before stopping again.

The Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment issued a temporary authorization for the use of chemical hoses to bypass the leaking pipes, in order to transfer solution from the Spent Decontamination System tanks to the Agent Neutralization Reactors for disposal. A third-party engineer reviewed the temporary configuration that was accepted by the state, allowing agent destruction in the Agent Processing Building to resume. A long-term, permanent piping repair/replacement strategy is being developed; that design will be sent to the state for approval and is anticipated to be implemented at the end of the 155mm projectile campaign this year.

Brian Ramdwar, deputy plant manager, PCAPP, said that in addition to the temporary chemical hose configuration installation bypassing the pinhole leak section of piping, a thorough inspection of the Spent Decontamination System piping upstream of the system’s tanks was conducted. That ensures the remainder of the piping delivering spent decon solution to the tanks was not showing any previous leaks.

“Although no leaks, or evidence of previous leaks, have been observed on this feed piping to the (Spent Decontamination System) tanks, out of an abundance of caution, we felt it was prudent as well as CDPHE requesting the inspection,” he said.

PCAPP Technology Articles

  • A Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant ordnance technician and baseline reconfiguration team member removes the rear assembly from a 4.2-inch mortar round in June of 2020. The plant received state approval Jan. 20 to destroy the HT 4.2-inch mortars in the main plant using Improved Cavity Access Machines.

    Full Approval Granted, Pueblo Plant Destroying First of Two Mortar Types

    Published: January 30, 2023
  • Two members of the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant’s Static Detonation Chamber crew unload 4.2-inch mortar rounds for elimination on December 7 as part of the complex’s best two months of destruction numbers for this category of munitions.

    Pueblo Static Detonation Chamber Complex Marks Best Month

    Published: January 18, 2023
  • A PCAPP crew assesses a pallet of 4.2-inch mortar rounds as part of the start of the second phase of the final campaign in the elimination of the Colorado Chemical weapons stockpile, which began on Dec. 1 using improved technology.

    Pueblo Plant Begins Second Phase of Final Destruction Campaign

    Published: December 8, 2022
  • Cavity Access Machines recently went through a significant redesign to accommodate 4.2-inch mortar round processing in the main plant, resulting in the development of Improved Cavity Access Machines, or ICAMs.

    Pueblo Plant Preparing to Destroy Mortar Rounds

    Published: October 27, 2022
  • A pallet of previously rejected 155mm projectiles awaits destruction. Approximately 200 of the 155mm projectiles were rejected by the plant’s automated robotic destruction systems. The rejected munitions have been re-introduced into the system, now upgraded with the devices.

    Safe Destruction of Previously Rejected Projectiles Moves Forward in Pueblo Plant

    Published: September 13, 2022
  • The Improved Cavity Access Machine was proposed to safely destroy 4.2-inch mortar rounds in the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant automated process. Based on existing Cavity Access Machine technology, the ICAM uses a vacuum-powered probe to remove agent.

    Improved Equipment Could Accelerate Destruction at Pueblo Plant

    Published: July 5, 2022
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Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)