State and local officials visited the Blue Grass plant to watch a demonstration of the methods and procedures for loading tankers of hydrolysate Sept. 21.

“The Madison County Emergency Management Agency director was interested in seeing a loading operation,” said Dr. George Lucier, deputy chief scientist, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. “We are using the loading of off-gas treatment system condensate to provide the opportunity to demonstrate our process for future off-site shipment of hydrolysate.”

Hydrolysate is a wastewater produced during the neutralization of chemical agents. Blue Grass plant managers plan to send the first shipment of hydrolysate to a licensed and permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility in Texas in October.

“It is always good to get out and see the operation,” said Dustin Heiser, director, Madison County Emergency Management Agency. “I can say that I have seen the process and pass along the reassurance that the folks at the plant here really know what they are doing. The process has been vetted numerous times.”

Two representatives from the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection (KDEP) Todd Powers, environmental scientist, and Jordan Wolfe, environmental engineer, joined Heiser for the tanker loading demonstration. Following the visit, on Sept. 23, KDEP issued a permit for the off-site shipment and disposal of nerve agent hydrolysate.

“There is a pretty solid process in place,” said Wolfe. “It is always good to actually be on site and see the process in action instead of just on paper.”