• The last chemical weapon stored at the Blue Grass Army Depot was destroyed in the main plant July 7, 2023. This milestone also means the destruction of the nation’s declared chemical weapons stockpile is complete. The main plant used neutralization to destroy the nerve-agent munitions.
• The main plant is now transitioning to the closure phase, which will take three to four years. Overall closure includes the destruction of all secondary wastes, including containerized agent-contaminated rocket warheads previously drained in the main plant. During the transition to closure, hydrolysate created during the flushing of lines and non-agent-contaminated rocket motors, both considered secondary waste, are being shipped to permitted waste disposal facilities for final destruction. This shipment will continue during the closure phase. Plant closure also involves decontamination and decommissioning of facilities and equipment, disposition of property, demolition of certain facilities, and closure of government contracts and environmental permits in accordance with laws and regulations.
• GB nerve agent 8-inch projectile destruction began in January 2020 and was completed in May 2020.
• VX nerve agent 155mm projectile destruction began in January 2021 and was completed in May 2021.
• VX nerve agent M55 rocket destruction began in July 2021 and was completed in April 2022.  
• GB nerve agent M55 rocket destruction began July 2022 and was completed in July 2023.
• This Month:
  • Destroyed the last munition in the declared U.S. chemical weapons stockpile
  • Obtained final Chemical Weapons Convention treaty hydrolysate sample
  • Flushed piping and equipment in Explosive Containment Rooms and Agent Neutralization System rooms
  • Conducted waste-management activities in rocket-handling areas
  • Performed safety refresher training for workers to prepare for closure

• The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) is using this SDC unit to destroy secondary waste such as containerized rocket warheads still containing GB agent residue and overpacked rocket motors.
• This Month:
  • Destruction of containerized rocket warheads containing agent residue
  • Maintenance activities and waste monitoring

• BGCAPP converted the Explosive Destruction Technology (EDT), previously used to destroy the mustard-agent munitions, into the SDC 1200, which is now in the systemization phase. This SDC unit will destroy secondary waste products, including containerized rocket warheads still containing VX agent residue, starting late 2023.
• This Month:
  • Began Operational Readiness Review
  • Startup of thermal oxidizer
  • Adjustments to the process chiller
  • Began energizing detonation chamber off-gas treatment system

• The EDT facility at BGCAPP used an SDC to destroy the mustard-agent munitions.
• Mustard-agent 155mm projectile destruction began in June 2019 and was completed in September 2021.

The next Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board meeting will be held:
Sept. 6, 2023, at 1:30 p.m. ET
Carl D. Perkins Building, Rooms A and B
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, Kentucky

For information about the meeting, contact the Blue Grass Chemical Stockpile Outreach Office at (859) 626-8944 or bgoutreach@iem.com.

The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant is a state-of-the-art facility that is transitioning into a three- to four-year closure phase after safely destroying the chemical weapons stockpile in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky. The main plant used neutralization to destroy the nerve-agent stockpile. The decision was made to not use the supercritical water oxidation system to process hydrolysate, the product of the neutralization process. This secondary waste is shipped to a licensed and permitted hazardous waste treatment, storage and disposal facility. A Static Detonation Chamber (SDC), now known as the SDC 1200, destroyed the mustard agent stockpile. A larger SDC 2000, which began operations on Jan. 27, 2023, augmented the main plant by destroying drained rocket warheads, overpacked rockets, problematic rockets and palletized rockets. The SDC 2000 will continue to destroy secondary waste such as containerized rocket warheads containing residual amounts of GB nerve agent into the fall of 2024. After an upgrade is complete, the SDC 1200 is expected to begin operations in late 2023 destroying secondary waste such as containerized rocket warheads containing residual amounts of VX nerve agent. The safety of the workforce and the environment, as well as of the neighboring communities, remains the program’s most important priority.