Behind tight security measures at the Army’s Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado, a team of robotic arms is hard at work dismantling the remaining chemical weapons in the United States’ stockpile. These weapons, which include artillery shells filled with deadly mustard agent, have been stored by the Army for over 70 years. The robots drain and wash each shell before subjecting it to extreme heat, transforming it into inert scrap metal.
As another shell clanks into the dumpster, Kingston Reif, the deputy assistant secretary of defense for threat reduction and arms control, smiles and remarks, “That’s the sound of a chemical weapon dying.” After decades of effort, the destruction of the stockpile is finally nearing completion. The Pueblo depot completed its destruction in June, and the remaining weapons at a depot in Kentucky will soon follow suit. Once this is done, all publicly declared chemical weapons in the world will have been eliminated.
The American chemical weapons stockpile was shocking in its scale, containing cluster bombs, land mines, and tanks filled with deadly agents. These weapons, considered inhumane since World War I, saw continued development and accumulation by the United States and other nations. While the US armed forces have not used lethal chemical weapons since 1918, they did deploy harmful herbicides like Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. The US also had a biological weapons program, which was destroyed in the 1970s.
In 1989, the United States and the Soviet Union agreed to destroy their chemical weapons stockpiles. The Chemical Weapons Convention was ratified by the US Senate in 1997, committing the United States and other signatories to the complete elimination of chemical weapons. However, the destruction process proved to be challenging due to the weapons’ design, making them dangerous to handle. The initial projected cost of $1.4 billion and a few years to complete the task were vastly underestimated. The final cost has reached approximately $42 billion, being 2,900 percent over budget.
Craig Williams, who started advocating for the safe destruction of the stockpile in 1984, expresses his relief and pride at the completion of the mission. He believes that this marks the first time in global history that an entire class of weapons of mass destruction has been eliminated. Other nations, like Britain, India, and Russia, have also destroyed their declared stockpiles, but the Pentagon warns that chemical weapons have not been completely eradicated. Some nations never signed the treaty, and there may be undeclared stocks in countries like Russia.
Additionally, the Chemical Weapons Convention has not put an end to the use of chemical weapons by rogue states and terrorist groups. Forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria and fighters from the Islamic State have deployed chemical weapons in recent years. Nevertheless, the completion of the disposal of the massive American stockpile stands as a testament to both human folly and potential. The length of time the task took was due in part to ensuring the safety of surrounding communities, as citizens and lawmakers demanded.
At the Blue Grass depot, the workers are in the final stages of the destruction process. Robots now handle the fragile and dangerous weapons. The chemical munitions all have a similar design: a thin-walled warhead filled with liquid agent and a small explosive charge. In the past, the United States vowed to only use chemical weapons in response to an enemy attack, amassing a large stockpile to deter enemies. However, this approach changed after the public learned about the program in 1968 when thousands of sheep died near an Army test site in Utah.
Initially, the Army planned to scuttle obsolete ships carrying chemical munitions, but public outrage prevented this method. Plan B involved burning the stockpiles in incinerators, but that also faced opposition. Craig Williams and other activists fought against the proposed incinerators due to concerns about toxic emissions. While incinerators were used in several locations, they were blocked in four states. In response to congressional orders, the Defense Department developed alternative methods to destroy the weapons without burning.
At the Pueblo depot, robotic arms pierce the shells and extract the mustard agent, which is washed and baked at high temperatures. This process renders the shells inert and transforms the mustard agent into a harmless residue. Bacteria are then used to break down the residue, leaving mostly table salt but requiring handling as hazardous waste due to the presence of heavy metals. The Blue Grass depot follows a similar process for liquid nerve agents. The drained agents are mixed with water and treated chemically to neutralize them.
The completion of the destruction process represents a significant milestone in global efforts to eliminate chemical weapons. While challenges and risks were faced along the way, the long endeavor attests to the commitment of individuals, communities, and governments to prioritize safety and disarmament. Though the threat of chemical weapons still persists, the successful disposal of the American stockpile provides hope for a safer and more secure world.
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