BGCAPP Monthly Recap – July 2021 - Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)

BGCAPP Monthly Recap – July 2021

Published: July 29, 2021 | Category: BGCAPP News, Monthly Recap

Highlights

COVID-19 Pandemic Response

The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) workforce has returned to the site and is following guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Explosive Destruction Technology (EDT) Facility Update:

The EDT facility at BGCAPP is using a Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) to destroy the mustard agent munitions.
The first mustard-agent projectile was destroyed in the EDT June 7, 2019.
This Month:
- As of July 23, more than 91% of the mustard munitions have been destroyed.
- Conclusion of maintenance activities and resumption of processing.

Main Plant Update:

The main plant is using neutralization to destroy nerve agent munitions. The decision was made to not use the supercritical water oxidation system to process hydrolysate, the product of the neutralization process. This secondary waste will be shipped to a licensed and permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility.
The GB 8-inch nerve-agent projectile destruction campaign began in January 2020 and was completed in May 2020.
The VX 155mm nerve-agent projectile destruction campaign began in January 2021 and was completed in May 2021.
This Month:
- The first M55 rockets containing VX nerve agent were destroyed at the Blue Grass plant July 9.
- The first separated non-contaminated rocket motors were packaged and returned to temporary storage on the Blue Grass Army Depot. The motors will eventually be safely transported to the Anniston, Alabama, SDC unit for destruction.
- The first drained rocket warheads were containerized, packaged and safely transported to temporary storage on the Blue Grass Army Depot prior to their destruction in one of the Blue Grass SDC units.

SDC 2000 Update:

BGCAPP will use an additional SDC to destroy a portion of the nerve agent munitions, including full rocket overpacks and rocket components.
This Month:
- Continuation of structural steel installation for off-gas treatment system and detonation chamber enclosures.
- Placement of air filtration modules.
- Placement of the Control Room.

SDC 1200 Update:

BGCAPP will convert the existing EDT to destroy a portion of the nerve agent munitions, drained rocket warheads, once its mustard-processing mission is complete.
This Month:
- Placement of thermal oxidizer on the foundation.

Upcoming Meetings

The next Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board meeting will be held:

Sept. 8, 2021, at 1:30 p.m. ET
The meeting format has yet to be determined. For information about the meeting, contact the Blue Grass Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office at (859) 626-8944 or bgoutreach@iem.com.

New to BGCAPP?

The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is a state-of-the-art facility safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky. An Explosive Destruction Technology is destroying the mustard agent stockpile. The main plant is using neutralization to destroy the nerve agent stockpile. The decision was made to not use the supercritical water oxidation system to process hydrolysate, the product of the neutralization process. This secondary waste will be shipped to a licensed and permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility. The safety of the workforce and the environment, as well as of the neighboring communities, is the project’s most important priority.