HAWTHORNE ARMY DEPOT, Nev. -- Director, Defense Logistics Agency Acquisition Matthew Beebe visited the depot on June 18, 2015. Beebe is a member of the Senior Executive Service and is responsible for the development, application, and oversight of DLA acquisition policy, plans, programs, functional systems and operations for the joint force acquisition program.
Lt. Col. Gregory Gibbons, commander of the Hawthorne Army Depot, welcomed and briefed him on the mission and activities of the depot. HWAD is a subordinate command of the Joint Munitions Command and Army Materiel Command. The depot is responsible for archival storage, demilitarization activities, and munitions readiness, in support of the joint forces.
Following a physical overview of the installation, Beebe, joined by Gibbons; Larry Cruz, HWAD deputy commander; Keith Siniscalchi, Tooele deputy commander; and DLA and HWAD personnel, toured the DLA-Strategic Materials tenancy office building, a mercury storage warehouse, and the Mobile Mercury Transfer System.
Gary Porter, director of material management, DLA-SM, explained the history and the mercury reflasking process to the entourage.
In 2010 and 2011, more than 300 truckloads containing 4,890 metric tons of elemental mercury were consolidated from three sites and transferred to HWAD. In preparation for the transfer, each of the 128,736 flasks was inspected, ensuring the stoppers were lock-tight and resealed. The flasks were then over-packed in epoxy-coated, steel drums with air- and liquid-tight locking rings, prior to shipment.
Each flask held 76 pounds of mercury, and 31 different types of flasks, consisting of varying materials, were used. While, historically, the flasks have been safe, with any leaks contained, the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection required, as a condition for continued storage in Nevada, that all the mercury be transferred into larger specification containers to mitigate any future environmental risk. Tooele Army Depot manufacturing built one-ton metric containers to be used for this purpose.
Oakridge National Laboratories and DLA-SM designed the Mobile Mercury Transfer System with multiple bays to safely and efficiently perform transfer operations.
The NDEP authorized the depot to take delivery of the DLA MMTS in January 2014, with a stipulation not to install or operate the MMTS until air quality and Chemical Accident Prevention Program operating permits had been issued. The MMTS trailer was moved onto the depot in February and the CAPP elements were finalized in September 2014.
Beebe wanted assurance that all the workers were well-trained and every aspect of the operation was conducted safely and securely.
He asked, "How do we know that we are prepared for any contingency?"
Jason Boynton, DLA-SM safety manager, said, "The CAPP is not just environmental. It also includes safety and health factors."
Sixteen air sampling mechanisms are installed throughout the structure, and, as the group arrived at the MMTS, the green light above the door signaled that there was no danger of contamination.
The MMTS tour began in the control room, where Alex Gibson, from Ft. Belvoir, demonstrated tracking and alarm systems. It then progressed, through the personal protective equipment room, to the first bay of the operations.
A steel drum underwent visual and vapor inspections, by Nathaniel Walsko, Hammond, IL, and Dewey Blair, Scotia, NY, prior to opening. As the transfer process began, each flask was lifted via overhead crane and logged into the system. In the next room, completion of the transfer occurred as Jesse Zuniga, Hammond, IL, utilized a specially-designed shaker tray.
Boynton explained that the empty containers are disposed of according to the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act. DLA takes an extra step to ensure the flasks are empty by inverting the empty flasks and installing them in a vibration tray. This is not required by RCRA, but ensures the flasks are empty.
Upon completion, the new containers are transferred into a warehouse. The spent drums, after passing a visual test and vapor samples, are reutilized or crushed and recycled. Some of the repurposed drums are used to store the empty flasks, used PPE and equipment, which then becomes hazardous waste.
Following the demonstration, Beebe presented coins to members of the Mercury Repackaging Team and expressed his appreciation for their diligence in testing all aspects of the new system to make the process operational.
The team was composed of individuals gathered from across the country and known for their expertise in handling mercury. The team ensured all safety measures were in place and worked as designed, and eventually, they will return to their places of employment as other applicants are selected and trained. Gary Amunson, previous Quality Assurance Specialist at the depot, was selected to manage the MMTS.
Social Sharing