The Pueblo plant team has safely destroyed more than 90% of the original stockpile of mustard agent-filled munitions stored at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot as of Nov. 25.

“Yet another historic milestone for this workforce,” said Walton Levi, site project manager, Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. “We are drawing ever closer to eliminating the Colorado stockpile in order to safely eliminate all chemical weapons in the U.S. inventory.”

The original stockpile comprised more than 780,000 105mm and 155mm projectiles and 4.2-inch mortar rounds, all containing the blister agent mustard. PCAPP has completed both the 105mm and 155mm projectile campaigns and is currently working to finish the third and final campaign–4.2-inch mortars. To date, PCAPP has eliminated more than 383,000 105mm projectiles, nearly 300,000 155mm projectiles and more than 19,000 4.2-inch mortar rounds.

“It’s so gratifying to see PCAPP working towards mission completion,” said Todd Ailes, project manager, Bechtel Pueblo Team. “We’ve now got less than 10% of remaining munitions and mustard agent left in the stockpile, and we are working diligently towards safely completing the mission as soon as practically possible.”

The Pueblo team is on target to destroy the remaining 10% of the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile in Colorado by the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty commitment date of Sept. 30, 2023. The team began main plant destruction operations on Sept. 7, 2016. U.S. Public Law mandates stockpile destruction by Dec. 31, 2023.