The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency last month finished disposing of weapons filled with VX nerve agent (see GSN, Sept. 29, 2008).
The Anniston Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Alabama on Dec. 24 eliminated its last VX land mine. All VX weapons have now been destroyed at current and former storage sites in Alabama, Arkansas, Indiana and Utah, and on Johnson Atoll.
"I commend Anniston and all CMA destruction sites on this extraordinary achievement. By destroying the VX agent at each of CMA's destruction sites, you have made the world a much safer place," said CMA chief Conrad Whyne in a press release.
The United States produced roughly 4,400 tons of VX from 1961 to 1969 but never used the lethal material in combat.
VX remains in storage at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Kentucky. Responsibility for disposal there will fall to a separate Defense Department agency, the Assembled Chemical Weapons Alternatives. That organization is also responsible for destroying mustard agent stored at the Pueblo Chemical Depot in Colorado (see GSN, Dec. 4, 2008).
The Army agency has already finished its destruction of weapons carrying sarin nerve agent and has closed the Johnston Atoll disposal plant, along with those in Indiana and Maryland (see GSN, Aug. 12, 2008). The remaining material due for processing by the Army consists of blister agent and a tabun nerve agent stockpile at the Deseret Chemical Depot in Utah (U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency release, Dec. 29).