Chemical weapons destruction resumes at Colorado plant after shutdown

PUEBLO, Colo. — The Army has resumed destruction of obsolete chemical weapons in southern Colorado after a shutdown prompted by liquid hazardous waste seeping from a storage tank.

Officials say the work resumed Wednesday when another tank was returned to service. The cause of the seep is under investigation.

Pueblo Chemical Depot is destroying 780,000 shells containing 2,500 U.S. tons (2,270 metric tons) of mustard agent.

RELATED

Army seeks changes to chemical weapons disposal in Colorado

The U.S. Army wants to change the way it destroys part of its huge stockpile of obsolete chemical weapons in Colorado, but some people worry that could increase the chances of contamination escaping into the air.

Officials say the liquid that seeped out is a byproduct of the process and contained no chemical weapons. They say less than 8 ounces (237 milliliters) escaped the tank.

Mustard blisters skin, scars eyes and inflames airways. The U.S. is destroying it under a treaty banning chemical weapons.

Since starting in 2016, the plant has eradicated 132,000 shells and 774 U.S. tons (702 metric tons) of mustard.

In Other News

DOD fixes problem that mistakenly dropped 16K Tricare beneficiaries

Defense Health officials advise those who briefly lost Tricare coverage to call the DEERS support office to confirm their eligibility.

Best for Vets: Hiring veterans on the other side of the world

Military Times' annual Best for Vets list looks at the top veteran-friendly employers.

Best for Vets: Colleges work to build community for military students

Military Times' annual Best for Vets list looks at the top-100 veteran-friendly colleges and universities.

Lawmakers accuse VA leaders of exaggerating budget shortfall

Congress approved $3 billion in emergency VA funding in September, but officials now say they did not need the money to cover immediate bills.

Rival nations try to ‘divide, degrade, deceive’ US voters, experts say

Foreign actors, like Russia and Iran, have been trying to convince American voters that the process is too corrupt to participate in, experts say.

Load More