Bechtel details VX nerve agent elimination

Engineering, construction, and project management firm Bechtel recently detailed the elimination of the last U.S. chemical weapon containing VX nerve agent.

The action was executed at the Bechtel-led Blue Grass Chemical Agent-Destruction Pilot Plant (BGCAPP) near Richmond, Kentucky, marking another step toward eliminating the entire U.S. chemical weapons stockpile by the end of 2023.

“Our team safely completed the first nerve agent rocket campaign using a collective approach to meet and overcome various challenges,” Bechtel Parsons Blue Grass Project Manager Ron Hink said. “We now turn our attention to the last destruction campaign, GB rockets, which will start later this year.”

The scope of work involved nearly 18,000 rockets being disassembled, with the VX agent drained, then neutralized by mixing it with water and caustic to produce hydrolysate. After confirmation the agent was destroyed, officials indicated the hydrolysate was pumped into storage tanks before being shipped for further processing at Veolia Environmental Services in Texas.

Additionally, the drained rocket warheads were containerized and placed in temporary storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot (BGAD) and are slated to be destroyed in a Static Detonation Chamber unit located on BGAD.

“We are celebrating two milestones today,” BGCAPP Site Project Manager Candace Coyle said. “First, the entire U.S. stockpile of VX nerve agent is now completely destroyed. Next, this marks the completion of the fourth of five chemical weapons destruction campaigns in Kentucky.”