Army destroying old chemical munitions
By William Cole
Advertiser Military Writer
The Army is spending $7 million at Schofield Barracks to destroy 1940s-era chemical weapons that were discovered beginning in 2005 during unexploded ordnance cleanup for a new Stryker brigade "battle area complex."
A round that was detonated in April 2005 was a suspected phosgene round. At least six rounds with chloropicrin, a choking agent, were detonated in February 2006 in place because they were determined to be unsafe to be moved, the Army said.
Approximately 250 munitions filled with liquid were recovered and brought to a holding facility, officials said.
Starting Tuesday, the Army plans to destroy 71 rounds that contain chloropicrin and phosgene, also a choking agent.
The Army said the remainder of the 250 liquid-filled rounds were not chemical weapons and were detonated on the training range — standard practice with old munitions.
According to the Federation of American Scientists, phosgene was first used in 1915 and accounted for 80 percent of all chemical fatalities during World War I.
During and immediately after exposure, there is likely to be coughing, choking, a feeling of tightness in the chest, nausea, and occasionally vomiting and headache, according to the organization's Web site. With exposure to very high concentrations, death may occur within several hours.
According to an environmental assessment conducted by the Army, the rounds to be destroyed include:
Chemical weapons were stockpiled by the U.S. well after World War II. In 1997, the U.S. became a signatory to the Chemical Weapons Convention, which prohibits their use and mandates elimination of existing stockpiles.
The unexploded chemical weapons were found buried at the Schofield range.
"The Army has been in Hawai'i and has trained on some of those ranges longer than I, or most other people, have been alive," said Col. Matthew Margotta, commander of U.S. Army Garrison Hawai'i.
Over about two weeks, the Army will use a Transportable Detonation Chamber with an expansion tank and gas treatment system with air monitoring to destroy the chemical rounds.
Denver-based CH2M Hill previously said it had been awarded a contract to use its portable detonation chamber technology to dispose of the Schofield chemical weapons.
A charge is used to detonate the munitions and create a fireball. Water bags help absorb the blast.
According to the environmental assessment, a 5,600-square-foot ventilation-controlled enclosure will be placed over the detonation chamber. Sixteen tractor trailers are needed to transport the equipment.
"The Army's procedures for handling, storing and disposing of recovered chemical munitions begin and end with safety," Margotta said.
Correction: The U.S. Army detonated six confirmed chloropicrin rounds at Schofield Barracks in February 2006. A round that was detonated in April 2005 was a suspected phosgene round. A previous version of this story contained incorrect information.
Reach William Cole at wcole@honoluluadvertiser.com.
