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Former Destruction Site Aiding Blue Grass Mission

The former chemical weapons destruction site in Anniston, Alabama, is assisting the Blue Grass destruction effort by destroying non-contaminated rocket motors in a Static Detonation Chamber, or SDC, unit.

Entrants in Demilitarization Protective Ensembles work to decontaminate a portion of the Munitions Washout System room at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant where VX nerve agent projectiles were destroyed in early 2021. This work is being done in the changeover period between the destruction of the VX M55 rockets and the start of the GB nerve agent M55 rockets. (Portions of this photograph have been blurred in accordance with Department of Defense guidelines.)

Changeover Period Begins at Blue Grass Plant

With the completion of VX nerve-agent M55 rocket destruction April 19, the Blue Grass plant has shifted into a three-month changeover period to prepare the facility for GB rocket destruction.

Workers lower a 30,000-pound buffer tank into the Blue Grass Static Detonation Chamber 1200 building through an opening in the roof. This tank will buffer exhaust gases from the destruction process of the drained nerve-agent rocket warheads before the gases are processed in the off-gas treatment system.

New Tank Safely Lowered Through Roof

A team of specialists placed a 30,000-pound buffer tank through a roof opening in the former Blue Grass mustard-agent destruction facility March 14 to ready the building for the next chemical weapons destruction effort.

Workers pass a piece of plywood up the Static Detonation Chamber 1200 stairs in preparation for opening the roof to allow a new piece of equipment to be lowered into the building. The building passed decontamination verification testing in January, which means workers do not have to wear chemical protective gear as they prepare for the system’s next activity.

Former Mustard Destruction Facility Passes Crucial Test

The facility responsible for destroying all the mustard-agent projectiles at the Blue Grass plant passed a final air-monitoring test to allow workers to safely open the building to install equipment for the next activity.

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