Umatilla facility destroys last ton of mustard blister agent

By Michael FletcherNovember 3, 2011

Last mustard ton container
1 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL
End of Operations
2 / 2 Show Caption + Hide Caption – From left, Leland Guthmiller, area supervisor, Kim Jackson, operations manager, Ted Pappas, assistant operations manager, Surety, Heather Callihan, special projects shift superintendent, and Mike Eff, with special projects, stand with the last mustar... (Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

UMATILLA CHEMICAL DEPOT, Ore., Nov. 2, 2011 -- Nearly 50 years of chemical agent storage came to an end Oct. 25, with the destruction of the last ton container of mustard blister agent in the Metal Parts Furnace at the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.

"Today, the employees of the UMCDF made their mark on history by completing agent destruction operations," said Gary Anderson, UMCDF site project manager. "More than 1,000 dedicated Army and contractor employees have made Oregon safer for its citizens. Additionally, their efforts successfully achieved the Chemical Weapons Convention Mandate to destroy the Depot's chemical weapons by April 2012. Congratulations on jobs well done."

The final TC was the last of 220,604 munitions and containers containing 3,717 tons of nerve and blister chemical agent stored at Umatilla since 1962. Incineration of chemical agent began in 2004. The UMCDF partnered with the Umatilla Chemical Depot, which safeguarded chemical agents at UMCD since 1962 and URS, the system contractor for the project.

"Our employees are proud to complete the mission of destroying the chemical agent safely and ahead of schedule," said Steve Warren, Project General Manager for URS. "We will carry the same attitude of putting safety first as we move into closure activities.

UMCD/UMCDF MILESTONES

Oct. 25, 2011: Completed destruction of HD mustard agent -- End of Operations

June 27, 2010: Completed mustard Agent Trial Burn for Metal Parts Furnace and Liquid Incinerators.

June 11, 2009: Began first HD ton container destruction in the MPF.

June 4, 2009: First HD ton containers transported from depot storage to disposal plant.

Nov. 5, 2008: Completed VX munitions campaign.

Oct. 26, 2007: Began VX munitions campaign.

July 8, 2007: Completed GB munitions campaign.

Sept. 7, 2004: UMCDF received first GB munitions for disposal.

Related Links:

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U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency