Blue Grass plant workers destroyed 75% of the chemical agent originally stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot as of Feb. 24, 2023.

“Fewer than four years ago, we destroyed the first projectiles containing mustard agent,” said Dr. Candace Coyle, site project manager, Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant. “Looking back, we have come a long way in a short time. This important milestone reflects the workforce’s dedication to the mission of safely destroying the last of our nation’s aging chemical weapons.”

The current destruction of M55 rockets containing GB nerve agent began in July 2022 and is the plant’s fifth and final chemical weapons destruction campaign. With more than 50,000 rockets, it is the single largest part of the stockpile in Kentucky, comprising more than half of the original munitions. Workers destroyed 50% of those rockets as of Feb. 17, 2023.

“Our focus always has been the safety of the workforce, community and environment and we’ll maintain that focus to the very end,” said Ron Hink, project manager, Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass. “Reaching the 75% mark is another proud moment for the team, but our work is not done.”

Previously, the Blue Grass plant destroyed 155mm projectiles containing mustard agent using the Explosive Destruction Technology. The 8-inch projectiles containing GB nerve agent, 155mm projectiles containing VX nerve agent and M55 rockets containing VX nerve agent were previously destroyed in the main plant, as well.

Mustard-agent projectiles were delivered to the Blue Grass Army Depot in the 1940s. Nerve-agent munitions arrived in the 1960s. Overall, the chemical munitions stockpile in Kentucky originally totaled more than 523 tons of chemical agent. Only 129 tons remain as of Feb. 24, 2023.

The Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives is responsible for completing stockpile destruction operations in Kentucky and at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado by the Chemical Weapons Convention treaty commitment of Sept. 30, 2023.