The Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, or BGCAPP, is in the closure phase, planned to be complete in 2027. From 2019 to 2023, the BGCAPP team destroyed 101,764 projectiles and rockets containing 523.4 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
- Inspectors from the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons completed their quarterly inspection of the main plant, Static Detonation Chamber (SDC) units and storage igloos April 6 through 8.
- Main plant closure activities continue ahead of schedule.
- Cleaning activities continue in the Blue Grass Chemical Activity storage igloos.
- BGCAPP continues to ship waste from closure activities to scrap metal facilities and permitted hazardous waste facilities.
Safety
- As of March 31, workers completed 16,503,895 hours and 2,026 days without a lost-time accident.
SDC 1200
- As of April 27, 66.5% of more than 17,000 drained, containerized rocket warheads (CRW) containing residual amounts of VX nerve agent has been destroyed.
- The SDC 1200 returned to operations April 10 after the new fragmentation shield was installed and tested.
SDC 2000
- As of April 27, workers destroyed 81% of more than 51,000 drained CRWs containing residual amounts of GB nerve agent.
- During an outage, workers completed heater replacements, cleaned quench tower filters, inspected immobilizers, insulated off-gas piping, milled and welded detonation chamber cracks and conducted other maintenance activities.
Main Plant
- Unventilated monitoring tests have been completed in the Munitions Demilitarization Building (MDB) and are underway in the MDB overhead ductwork and heating, ventilation and air conditioning filter bank units.
- Workers completed draining caustic liquid tanks and piping.
- Removal of the life-support system hoses in the Agent Neutralization Room is underway.
- The cleanout of the Metal Parts Treater rooms was completed, including outlet airlocks and internal exhaust manifolds.
- Workers began removing insulation, electric boxes and piping from the hydrolysate storage tank area.
Workforce
- 957 workers are employed on the project, with approximately 50% hired locally.
Public Outreach
- The BGCAPP site project manager provided a monthly closure and schedule update to the Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission (CAC) chair April 24.
Upcoming Meetings
- The next semiannual Kentucky Chemical Demilitarization Citizens Advisory Commission and Chemical Destruction Community Advisory Board meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 3, 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. For information, contact the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant outreach staff at (800) 277-6819 or bgoutreach@iem.com.
