Colorado Chemical Arms Wastewater To Be Trucked To Texas
PUEBLO, Colo. (AP) — The U.S. Army will truck hazardous wastewater from a chemical weapons destruction plant in Colorado to an incineration facility in Texas because the Colorado plant isn't yet fully operational.
The incinerator in Port Arthur, Texas will destroy about 250,000 gallons (946,000 liters) of wastewater from the Pueblo Chemical Depot.
Depot spokesman Tom Schultz says the shipments could start Monday.
The Colorado plant is dismantling and neutralizing shells containing mustard agent but can't yet process all of the wastewater. The shipments are expected to take a month to complete, and by that time the depot should be able to process all wastewater on-site.
The waste is primarily saltwater but could irritate human skin because it contains caustic chemicals used to neutralize the mustard. Officials say the wastewater contains no mustard agent.
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