The U.S. Army's Pine Bluff Arsenal in Arkansas is expected to finish eliminating its stockpile of chemical weapons in roughly one year, the Associated Press reported Sunday (see GSN, Jan. 27).
"If everything goes well and the plant continues to operate at the same level of efficiency, we're looking at delivering that last ton (container of mustard agent) around November or December of next year," said Lt. Col. Nathaniel Farmer, who oversees the Pine Bluff Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.
Operations at Pine Bluff began in March 2005. At that time, the disarmament project was expected to finish in 2012 (Associated Press/Baxter Bulletin, Nov. 8).