News - Local
Army tests machine for Pueblo chemical weapons
Posted: Mar 27, 2010 9:58 AM by Associated Press
An Army depot in Alabama has begun testing equipment that will be used in Colorado to disassemble chemical weapons before they're neutralized and destroyed.
The machine removes explosives from shells containing mustard agent. Anniston Army Depot started using it Tuesday.
The machine will be used at a plant under construction at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado. After the shells are disassembled, the mustard will be neutralized with water and bacteria.
The machine won't be used on other shells that will be destroyed with explosives in a closed chamber.
Pueblo has 780,000 shells containing 2,600 tons of mustard agent. The Army wants to destroy up to 125,000 with explosives.
None of the Pueblo shells will be sent to Alabama.
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