The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) routinely produces secondary wastes from chemical weapons destruction operations. These wastes include items such as personal protective equipment, maintenance wastes, used equipment parts, carbon filters and decontamination solutions. The safe handling of those wastes is a key element in successfully destroying the chemical weapons stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot.

Secondary Waste Management

BGCAPP has a process to manage all secondary waste generated during operation of the facility. The process has been reviewed extensively by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection and meets or exceeds all environmental regulatory requirements to properly manage waste from its generation to its final disposal.

Secondary wastes may be classified as municipal solid waste, recyclable material, hazardous waste, non-hazardous waste or universal waste. These wastes are thoroughly evaluated by skilled employees for proper management, including potential agent contamination and other hazardous constituents.

Secondary wastes that are not agent-contaminated are shipped off site by commercial transportation and disposal companies that meet rigorous safety and environmental standards prior to being placed on contract. These wastes include used oil, scrap metal, expired chemicals, trash and construction debris.

Agent-contaminated secondary waste may be treated on site or containerized for off-site shipment to an approved treatment, storage and disposal facility (TSDF). For example, the Metal Parts Treater (MPT) has safely processed agent-contaminated, drained munition bodies and miscellaneous metal parts which are sent off site for recycling. However, when safety, efficiency or cost savings are better achieved by treating agent-contaminated secondary waste off site, BGCAPP partners with permitted facilities and community stakeholders to safely transport, treat and dispose of the waste. Off-site treatment and disposal of these types of wastes has been safely accomplished by BGCAPP and by other U.S. chemical weapons destruction sites at considerable savings to the taxpayer after acceptance by both the generating and receiving communities.

Secondary wastes, such as non-contaminated rocket motors and hydrolysate, are shipped off site for further processing.

TSDFs selected to receive the waste must demonstrate excellent safety and environmental protection records, are subject to strict regulatory oversight, possess state-of-the-art equipment and processes and have established active public involvement programs with their surrounding communities. Transportation contractors responsible for safe shipment of agent-contaminated secondary waste are properly licensed hazardous material carriers with top safety and performance records. As appropriate to the nature of a particular waste, coordination is made with emergency response agencies along selected transportation routes. BGCAPP environmental and waste management personnel visit each receiving TSDF to perform audits to ensure wastes are properly managed from cradle to grave.

BGCAPP has submitted to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection a secondary waste certification detailing the waste streams and final disposal facilities that receive the secondary waste for subsequent treatment and disposal.

Proposed Secondary Waste Management Approaches at BGCAPP