Recommendations for the Disposal of Chemical Agents and Munitions (1994) / Chapter Skim
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Executive Summary
Executive Summary
Pages 1-20
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being conducted in 1990-1993. The present Committee on Review and Evaluation of the Army Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program (Stockpile Committee)
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~ Deriving its recommendations, the Stockpile Committee has been concerned primarily with the technical aspects of safe disposal operations. However, the committee recognizes that other issues will influence the selection of disposal technologies, not least of which are the concerns of citizens who might be affected by these operations.
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FUNDAMENTALS OF DISPOSAL Disposal of chemical agent and munitions means release of all unitary stockpile matenals from Army control in an altered form that satisfies both international treaty requirements and domestic environmental requirements. Waste streams Tom disposal processes may be gaseous, liquid, or solid, and although the ultimate chemical products are usually similar, the selection of technologies and disposal strategies can alter the condition timing.
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Because chemical munitions and agent inventories vary from site to site, as do storage conditions and surrounding community conditions, implementation of the minimum cumulative total risk strategy should be determined on a site-specif~c basis. In addition to this primary total health and safety risk minimization .
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One way to do this is by conducting a risk assessment that calculates the frequency of events that lead to consequences of venous sevens. Two major risks are important in the Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program: acute, high-level agent exposures (which may or may not be fatal)
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Minimization of cumulative total health and safety risk may affect the disposal schedule In ways that the committee considers more important than treaty or other political considerations. Because disposal risks are generally lower than storage risks, and because agent destruction (the objective of alternative technologies)
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Agent flow is stopped if the combustion chamber temperature drops below that required for agent destruction. Associated energetic matenals are burned in a rotary kiln deactivation furnace system, with exhaust gases sent to an afterburner, followed by a pollution abatement system.
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Two auxiliary material streams, decontamination fluids used throughout the facility and ventilation air, are also processed. Except for the destruction of agent by incineration, none of these disposal operations would be eliminated by the employment of an alternative technology for agent destruction.
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In addition to the necessary fundamental process capabilities, and in keeping with the co~ntnittee ' s desire to minimize cumulative total risk technology readiness becomes an important selection criterion. Candidate alternatives are examined at two levels: a first screening is used to eliminate unattractive candidates, whereas the more attractive alternatives are examined in greater detail.
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Thus, even a successful alternative technology would affect only agent disposal operations and the associated potential release of either agent or other pollutants. The committee believes that alternative technologies for the liquid incinerator could be ready for full-scale pilot testing in three to seven years with a well-funded, well-staffed program, although delays in obtaining required permits for testing arid for disposal operations might significantly delay implementation.
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Since the baseline system has already been proven' and because delays wall increase cumulative total risk, the committee believes that the ~lisposal program should proceed expeditiously at a pace in keeping with reasonable and safe facility construction and operating schedules. The only proniis~ng alternative technologies for agent disposal that have been identified involve neutralization followed by secondary treatment options.
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Recommendation I The Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program should proceed expeditiously and with technology that wid minimize total risk to the public at each site.
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Further, the schedule of the disposal program should not be delayed pending completion of the updated analyses, because they can be conducted concurrently with other activities within the overall construction and operations schedule. Both storage risk and processing risk differ from site to site.
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Current System Finding 7. Chemical agents and munitions materials have been successfully divided into four distinct process streams having widely Mitering properties.
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The Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS) Operational Verification Testing (OVT)
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Recommendation 12. The Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program should continue on schedule with implementation of the baseline system, unless and unfit altematives are developed am proven to offer safer, less costs, or more raping implementable technologies (without sarnfi?
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~ view of the increasing total risk associated with `disposal program delays, and recognizing that public opposition might delay the program for a number of reasons, including opposition to incineration, it is imperative that alternative technologies be developed promptly. Recommendation 14A.
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The current chemical stockpile disposal schedule may provide hme for site-specific substitution or integration of proven alternative agent disposal processes at selected sites if research and development efforts are accelerated and results are favorable. Recommendation 17.
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The Army faces significant challenges in executing the Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program. As more sites begin development, unportant eng~neenng and technical issues watt be faced.
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This follows from the unusual circumstance that tune and money spent in search of a better technology are likely to result in program delays and an increase in cumulative total risk whatever the characteristics of any new technology. Although this conclusion remains to be confirmed with updated risk analyses, the existing evidence is strong enough to recommend that the disposal program proceed in parallel with the analyses and without deliberate delay.
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