Review Criteria for Successful Treatment of Hydrolysate at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant

In 1993, the United States signed the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), an international treaty outlawing the production, stockpiling, and use of chemical weapons. The chemical weapons stockpiles at five of the U.S. chemical weapons storage sites have now been destroyed. At those sites, the munitions were robotically opened and the chemical agent was removed, collected, and incinerated.

One of the remaining sites with chemical weapons stockpiles is the Blue Grass Army Depot near Richmond, Kentucky. In this case, caustic hydrolysis will be used to destroy the agents and energetics, resulting in a secondary waste stream known as hydrolysate. Review Criteria for Successful Treatment of Hydrolysate at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant develops criteria for successfully treating the hydrolysate, identifies systemization data that should factor into the criteria/decision process, suggests potential modifications to suggested treatment that would allow continued onsite processing, and assesses waste disposal procedures. This study further examines the possibility of delay or failure of the existing technology and examines possible alternatives to onsite treatment.

Table of Contents

• Front Matter
• Summary
• 1 Introduction
• 2 The Supercritical Water Oxidation and Water Recovery System Processes Planned for Use at the Blue Grass Chemical Agent Destruction Pilot Plant
• 3 Stakeholder Interests and Issues
• 4 Regulatory Requirements for Offsite Hydrolysate Shipment and Treatment
• 5 Transportation of Chemical Materials
• 6 Hydrolysate Treatment Criteria for Success and Decision Framework
• 7 Underperformance and Failure Risks, Systemization, and Contingency Options
• Appendixes
• Appendix A: Chronology of Events at the Blue Grass Army Depot to the Present, With Focus on Public Involvement
• Appendix B: Public Interest and Input Documents
• Appendix C: Biographical Sketches of Committee Members
• Appendix D: Committee Activities
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