PCAPP Monthly Recap - March 2022 - Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA)

PCAPP Monthly Recap – March 2022

Published: April 5, 2022 | Category: Monthly Recap, PCAPP News

Chemical Weapons Destruction at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP):

PCAPP is destroying the remaining U.S. chemical weapons stockpile stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot (PCD) in Colorado. The original stockpile consisted of approximately 780,000 total chemical weapons containing mustard agent. The Colorado stockpile comprises three chemical munition types: 155mm and 105mm projectiles, and 4.2-inch mortar rounds.

Highlights

Main Plant Update:

The original stockpile stored at PCD contained nearly 300,000 155mm chemical weapons and more than 380,000 105mm chemical weapons. Destruction of the 155mm projectile munition type concluded in September 2020. Destruction of the 105mm projectile munition type began in December 2020.
On March 8, the 300,000th 105mm projectile was destroyed at PCAPP.
Since destruction operations began in December 2020, more than 317,000 105mm projectiles have been destroyed, accounting for more than 83% of the total inventory of the 105mm munition type.
Since 105mm projectile destruction began, chemical weapons have been destroyed at a steady rate of more than 650 per day. The use of color-coding practices to categorize munition lots based on their risk of leaking or overpacked projectiles has limited any interruption to destruction operations.
In March, the plant’s Agent Washwater Separator tanks returned to full service following lengthy repairs. An AWS tank is part of the Munitions Washout System, in which chemical weapons are drained of agent and rinsed with high-pressure hot water. The tank collects this fluid before sending it to Agent Neutralization Reactors to destroy the mustard agent. Due to the use of a backup AWS tank, chemical weapons destruction was able to continue at a normal rate while repairs took place.
In the month of March, approximately 24,000 105mm projectiles were destroyed, an average of more than 750 per day.

SDC Complex Update:

The Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) complex consists of three SDC units that augment operations at PCAPP by destroying problematic munitions, including 4.2-inch mortar rounds. SDC technology uses thermal heating to safely detonate or deflagrate the mortar rounds.
The original stockpile stored at PCD contained more than 97,000 4.2-inch mortar rounds. Destruction of 4.2-inch mortar rounds in the SDC units began on Feb. 19, 2022.
Since 4.2-inch mortar round destruction began, more than 1,000 rounds have been destroyed.

Upcoming Meetings

Permitting Working Group and Biotreatment Utilization Group Meetings
April 27, 2022, at approximately 2 p.m. MDT

Colorado Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission
April 27, 2022, at approximately 2 p.m. MDT

Zoom meeting information:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85125795932
Call-in:
Phone: 1 346 248 7799
Meeting ID: 851 2579 5932

New to PCAPP?

PCAPP is a state-of-the-art facility built to destroy the chemical weapons stockpile stored at the PCD. The main plant uses neutralization followed by biotreatment to destroy 155mm and 105mm chemical weapons. The SDC complex uses thermal heating to safely detonate or deflagrate the mortar rounds and projectiles deemed unsuitable for the main plant. The safety of the workforce and neighboring communities is the project’s most important priority.

The Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA) is targeting completion of the destruction of the remaining stockpile by the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty commitment of Sept. 30, 2023. U.S. Public Law 99-145 mandates stockpile destruction by Dec. 31, 2023.

Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP)

Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (PCAPP)