Workers at a U.S. Army chemical weapons repository in Oregon yesterday detected a mustard agent vapor leak in one of the facility's storage units, the Hermiston Herald reported (see GSN, June 24).
A minute amount of material was contained inside one of the igloos used for storage of bulk containers of mustard agent at the Umatilla Chemical Depot. The structures are fitted with passive filtration systems designed to prevent vapors from escaping, said depot spokesman Jim Hackett.
"There was never any danger to the public or environment," he said.
Standard procedure calls for powered filters to be placed on storage igloos where leaks are found, Hackett said.
"The leaking container will be identified, inspected, repaired as necessary and decontaminated," he added.
The depot recently began incinerating its mustard agent stockpile, which it has held for more than 40 years (see GSN, June 5). Mustard agent leaks inside the storage igloos become more commonplace as the weather warms and the material thaws (Hermiston Herald, July 7).