Assessment Of Processing Gelled Gb M55 Rockets At Anniston
by National Research Council /
2003 / English / PDF
3.3 MB Download
In 1985, Congress mandated the destruction of the stockpile of M55
rockets stored at several chemical weapons storage sites in the
United States and its possessions because of the risk that the
rockets may self-ignite. Risk assessments performed by the Army
indicate the risk to the public is dominated by M55 rockets
containing the nerve agent sarin (GB). During the disposal of these
GB M55 rockets at a site in Tooele, Utah, it was discovered that
the agent had gelled in a significant percentage of the rockets. In
these cases, the standard destruction method would not work. The
Army devised an alternate mechanism for incinerating the gelled
rockets, but the State of Utah limited their disposal rate using
this process. The Army, however, has since developed plans for
increasing the destruction rate of gelled rockets and proposes that
this method be used at Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility
(ANCDF) in Anniston, Alabama. To assist in this effort, the Army
asked the National Research Council (NRC) to evaluate the Army's
plan for higher destruction rates. Former Congressman Robert Riley
(now Alabama's governor) also requested an NRC assessment. This
study was carried out by the NRC ad hoc Committee on Review of Army
Planning for the Disposal of M55 Rockets at the Anniston Chemical
Agent Disposal Facility.
In 1985, Congress mandated the destruction of the stockpile of M55
rockets stored at several chemical weapons storage sites in the
United States and its possessions because of the risk that the
rockets may self-ignite. Risk assessments performed by the Army
indicate the risk to the public is dominated by M55 rockets
containing the nerve agent sarin (GB). During the disposal of these
GB M55 rockets at a site in Tooele, Utah, it was discovered that
the agent had gelled in a significant percentage of the rockets. In
these cases, the standard destruction method would not work. The
Army devised an alternate mechanism for incinerating the gelled
rockets, but the State of Utah limited their disposal rate using
this process. The Army, however, has since developed plans for
increasing the destruction rate of gelled rockets and proposes that
this method be used at Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility
(ANCDF) in Anniston, Alabama. To assist in this effort, the Army
asked the National Research Council (NRC) to evaluate the Army's
plan for higher destruction rates. Former Congressman Robert Riley
(now Alabama's governor) also requested an NRC assessment. This
study was carried out by the NRC ad hoc Committee on Review of Army
Planning for the Disposal of M55 Rockets at the Anniston Chemical
Agent Disposal Facility.