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Decades of Disarmament Chemical Disarmament Won’t Be Easy
(about 4 hours later)
Four miles from the White House, Army specialists are digging very cautiously into an empty lot where a brick house once stood in one of the district’s toniest neighborhoods, on the edge of the American University campus.Four miles from the White House, Army specialists are digging very cautiously into an empty lot where a brick house once stood in one of the district’s toniest neighborhoods, on the edge of the American University campus.
Spring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site - Virtual Tour of 4825 Glenbrook RoadSpring Valley Formerly Used Defense Site - Virtual Tour of 4825 Glenbrook Road
“We know we’re going to find things, but we’re not sure what,” Andrea Takash, an Army spokeswoman, said Friday. The overall bill for the neighborhood’s cleanup, she noted, is expected to run to more than $230 million.“We know we’re going to find things, but we’re not sure what,” Andrea Takash, an Army spokeswoman, said Friday. The overall bill for the neighborhood’s cleanup, she noted, is expected to run to more than $230 million.
The next means of disposal was simply to dump munitions at sea. The United States did so until the early 1970s, when a global treaty outlawed such practices.The next means of disposal was simply to dump munitions at sea. The United States did so until the early 1970s, when a global treaty outlawed such practices.
Finally (environmentalists would say belatedly), the Army turned to a costlier method. It built decommissioning plants in Alabama, Arkansas, Utah, Oregon and on a Pacific atoll. Special furnaces incinerated the poisons at extremely high temperatures and then scrubbed out dangerous waste products.Finally (environmentalists would say belatedly), the Army turned to a costlier method. It built decommissioning plants in Alabama, Arkansas, Utah, Oregon and on a Pacific atoll. Special furnaces incinerated the poisons at extremely high temperatures and then scrubbed out dangerous waste products.
But citizens near the big facilities and at sites of proposed ones worried about accidents, toxic fumes and health risks.But citizens near the big facilities and at sites of proposed ones worried about accidents, toxic fumes and health risks.
In 1984, Craig Williams, a Vietnam veteran living in rural Kentucky, went to a public meeting about a planned incinerator. On his way home, he recalled, his wife said, “Craig, somebody’s got to do something about this.”In 1984, Craig Williams, a Vietnam veteran living in rural Kentucky, went to a public meeting about a planned incinerator. On his way home, he recalled, his wife said, “Craig, somebody’s got to do something about this.”
Mr. Williams lobbied hard against incineration, organizing civic groups around the nation while battling Army brass and testifying before Congress. “We realized we couldn’t prevail by having a spaghetti dinner once a week,” he said in an interview.Mr. Williams lobbied hard against incineration, organizing civic groups around the nation while battling Army brass and testifying before Congress. “We realized we couldn’t prevail by having a spaghetti dinner once a week,” he said in an interview.
Slowly, the Army adopted what the citizens groups praised as a safer approach — neutralization, in which water and other chemicals react with the deadly chemicals to undo their toxic structures.Slowly, the Army adopted what the citizens groups praised as a safer approach — neutralization, in which water and other chemicals react with the deadly chemicals to undo their toxic structures.
As the cold war ended, so did the military’s production of chemical arms, and the elimination work sped up. Abolition went global in 1993 with a treaty known as the Chemical Weapons Convention. It went into force in 1997.As the cold war ended, so did the military’s production of chemical arms, and the elimination work sped up. Abolition went global in 1993 with a treaty known as the Chemical Weapons Convention. It went into force in 1997.
The Army built giant neutralization plants in Maryland and Indiana. Today, at a cost of $10.6 billion, it is erecting new ones near Pueblo, Colo., and Richmond, Ky. The Kentucky work force now stands at more than 1,200 people, and the plant is set to destroy 523 tons of mustard gas and nerve agents, including sarin. The chemical destruction job is expected to be finished by 2023.The Army built giant neutralization plants in Maryland and Indiana. Today, at a cost of $10.6 billion, it is erecting new ones near Pueblo, Colo., and Richmond, Ky. The Kentucky work force now stands at more than 1,200 people, and the plant is set to destroy 523 tons of mustard gas and nerve agents, including sarin. The chemical destruction job is expected to be finished by 2023.
Beyond the arsenal and the nine decommissioning plants lurks a major cleanup dilemma — what, if anything, to do about the estimated 250 old dump sites for chemical arms that dot the nation. Unlike Spring Valley, most are on military bases or remote sites far from dense populations.Beyond the arsenal and the nine decommissioning plants lurks a major cleanup dilemma — what, if anything, to do about the estimated 250 old dump sites for chemical arms that dot the nation. Unlike Spring Valley, most are on military bases or remote sites far from dense populations.
Last year, the National Research Council put out a lengthy report calling the old dump sites “a huge challenge.” The cost of cleaning up just the five miles of weapon trenches in Alabama, it noted, is estimated at several billion dollars.Last year, the National Research Council put out a lengthy report calling the old dump sites “a huge challenge.” The cost of cleaning up just the five miles of weapon trenches in Alabama, it noted, is estimated at several billion dollars.
The report detailed scores of portable technologies — everything from air monitors and excavation gear to demolition trucks and detonation chambers — that already exist and could speed the domestic cleanup.The report detailed scores of portable technologies — everything from air monitors and excavation gear to demolition trucks and detonation chambers — that already exist and could speed the domestic cleanup.
Mr. Siegel, of the Center for Public Environmental Oversight, noted that the mobile nature of the technologies meant they could play an important role in the rush for Syria’s chemical disarmament. The plan now calls for its completion by July.Mr. Siegel, of the Center for Public Environmental Oversight, noted that the mobile nature of the technologies meant they could play an important role in the rush for Syria’s chemical disarmament. The plan now calls for its completion by July.
“If you want to act quickly, the technical decisions have to be made now, while the diplomats are working,” he said. “This is difficult stuff and it’s costly but the technologies exist — though most people don’t know that.”“If you want to act quickly, the technical decisions have to be made now, while the diplomats are working,” he said. “This is difficult stuff and it’s costly but the technologies exist — though most people don’t know that.”
A better appreciation of the American experience and the available technology, Mr. Siegel added, would make it easier for diplomats and government officials to develop a strategy for the undoing the Syrian arsenal.A better appreciation of the American experience and the available technology, Mr. Siegel added, would make it easier for diplomats and government officials to develop a strategy for the undoing the Syrian arsenal.

William J. Broad reported from New York, and David E. Sanger from Washington.

William J. Broad reported from New York, and David E. Sanger from Washington.