Local
Mustard leak contained at Pueblo Chemical Depot
Posted: Feb 3, 2011 5:33 AM by Bea Karnes
PUEBLO (AP)-Army officials say they have found and sealed five artillery shells that had leaked mustard agent at the Pueblo Chemical Depot.
Depot spokesman Chuck Sprague said Wednesday the leaks were detected in September when the air was tested in one of the storage bunkers.
Crews installed a filter on the bunker's vent and began searching for the leak. Such searches can take weeks or months because each bunker can contain thousands of shells.
Crews found five shells with dried mustard agent on them Jan. 6. They were transferred to larger sealed containers last week.
The depot contains 2,600 tons of mustard agent awaiting destruction under an international treaty. A plant to neutralize the agent is under construction and neutralization work is expected to start in 2015.
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