Chemical Agent Destruction Plant Safely Neutralizes 100,000 Chemical Weapons

RESTON, Va., Feb. 5, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- The Bechtel-led team at the Pueblo Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant, or PCAPP, is marking a significant milestone: safely eliminating 100,000 munitions from the chemical weapons stockpile located at the U.S. Army Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado. The destruction of these weapons – all containing mustard agent – is a requirement of the Chemical Weapons Convention, an international arms control treaty signed by more than 190 nations. "This milestone is a key step forward in achieving our mission here at PCAPP," said Bechtel Project Manager Bret Griebenow. "It is significant, and shows the operational ability of the plant, and our team, to safely and effectively destroy the remaining weapons." The work is being conducted under contract to the U.S. Department of Defense Program Executive Office for Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives (PEO ACWA). The first-of-a-kind plant began pilot operations in 2016 after years of design, construction, and testing. The plant is processing an average of 400 munitions per day and has now disposed of more than 500 U.S. tons of chemical agent. When operations are complete, the team will have destroyed more than 2,600 tons of mustard agent in three types of chemical weapons: 155mm projectiles, 105mm projectiles, and 4.2-inch mortar rounds. When the mission is complete, the Bechtel Pueblo Team will ultimately close PCAPP.