
The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, or BGCAPP, is now in the closure phase, which will last approximately three years. From 2019 to 2023, the BGCAPP team destroyed more than 101,000 projectiles and rockets containing 523 tons of GB and VX nerve agent and blister agent mustard, using neutralization and Explosive Destruction Technology. The last chemical weapon in the U.S. stockpile was destroyed July 7, 2023, in Kentucky.
Highlights
- BGCAPP continues to ship waste from closure activities to scrap metal facilities in Kentucky and Indiana, as well as permitted hazardous waste facilities in Texas and Ohio.
- BGCAPP received 300 excess Demilitarization Protective Ensemble (DPE) suits dispositioned from the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant for use during closure activities
Safety
- As of Nov. 30, workers completed 15,763,919 hours and 1,905 days without a lost-time accident.
SDC 1200
- As of Dec. 29, 60% of more than 17,000 drained, containerized rocket warheads (CRW) containing residual amounts of VX nerve agent have been destroyed.
- Processing remained paused in December for replacement of the fragmentation shield. Work is expected to take several more weeks. Processing will resume when repairs have been completed.
SDC 2000
- As of Dec. 29, workers destroyed 64.7% of more than 51,000 drained CRWs containing residual amounts of GB nerve agent.
- During outages, workers completed alignment verifications, adjusted guide rollers, replaced hose clamps, installed couplers on screw jacks, replaced gaskets and seals, performed inspections, troubleshot sensors, replaced conical heaters, and conducted other maintenance activities.
Main Plant
- Workers successfully completed unventilated monitoring tests in the Agent Neutralization System (ANS) Room.
- Pressure washing was completed on all three levels of the ANS Room.
- Workers began filter removal from the Munitions Demilitarization Building heating, ventilation and air conditioning units.
- Piping and component removal continues in the upper levels of the MDB, and cleaning and monitoring activities continue in the Blue Grass Chemical Activity storage igloos.
Workforce
- 1,228 workers are employed on the project, with 50% hired locally.
Environmental Permitting
- BGCAPP is awaiting action by the Kentucky Department for Environmental Protection on a permit modification request to allow processing of GB nerve agent CRWs in the SDC 1200 once VX CRW processing is complete. The 60-day comment period ended Dec. 22.
Public Outreach
- BGCAPP management provided a closure and schedule update to the Kentucky Chemical Stockpile Emergency Preparedness Program Integrated Process Team Dec. 11.
Upcoming Meetings
- The next semiannual Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens’ Advisory Commission and Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, March 5, 2025, at 1:30 p.m. ET at the following location:
Carl D. Perkins Building, Rooms A and B
Eastern Kentucky University
Richmond, Kentucky
A live video stream of the meeting will be available on the Program Executive Office, Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA) YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/user/usaeacwa and the PEO ACWA Facebook page at www.facebook.com/peoacwa. For information, contact the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant outreach staff at (800) 277-6819 or bgoutreach@iem.com.