Date post: | 14-Jun-2015 |
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Environment |
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Sea Disposal of
Chemical Warfare Materiel in
US Coastal Waters
Geoff Carton, CALIBRE Systems, Inc
Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons - Side Event
The Hague - December 2013
Disposal Sites in US Waters
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• US Department of Defense (DoD) ended sea disposal in 1970
• DoD identified 20 chemical warfare materiel (CWM) disposal sites in US waters
• DoD munitions disposal sites
− Range from 8 to over 400 kilometers (5 to <250 miles) from shore
− Depths range from 15 to 4,875 meters (50 to 16,000 feet)
• Designated disposal sites
− Received conventional munitions and CWM
− Possible disposal of industrial and municipal wastes by others
− Generally 260 square kilometers (100 square miles)
− Posted on nautical charts
• DoD disposal methods
− Loose or “over the side”
− Consolidated in ship hulks and scuttled
Disposal Sites in US Coastal Waters
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Source: Chapter 10, Sea Disposal of Military Munitions, FY 09 Defense Environmental Programs Annual Report to Congress (ARC)
CWM disposal site
Munitions Disposal Sites in US Waters (Pacific)
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Source: FY 09 Defense Environmental Programs ARC
CWM disposal site
Munitions Disposal Sites in US Waters (Atlantic & Gulf)
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Source: FY 09 Defense Environmental Programs ARC
Example of Published US Site Inventory
Disposal of CWM in US Waters
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About 29,000 metric tons of chemical agent was disposed in US waters Source: FY 09 Defense Environmental Programs ARC
Lewisite, 41%
Mustard, 52%
Nerve agent
(GB, VX, GA),
1%
Arsenic, AsCl3,
Cl2S2, 2%
Phosgene, 0.1%
Unspecified agent,
3%
Blood agents
(CK, AC), 1%
How Much CWM was Disposed in US Waters?
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Percent of chemical agent disposal by kilometers from shore
Graph based on net chemical agent weight, FY09 ARC data
Unknown 2%
Under 19 (10 NM)
2%
19-185 (10-100 NM)
63%
Over 185 (100 NM)
33%
CWM Disposal in US Waters by Distance
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Percent of chemical agent disposal by depth in meters
Graph based on net chemical agent weight, FY09 ARC data
Over 3,050 (10,000 ft)
61%
1,830-3,050 (6,000-10,000 ft)
7%
305-1,829 (1,000-5,999 ft)
28%
Under 305 (1,000 ft)
2% Unknown
2%
CWM Disposal in US Waters by Depth
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Percent of chemical agent disposal by location
Graph based on net chemical agent weight, FY09 ARC data
CWM Disposal in US Waters by Location
Atlantic 53%
Caribbean 0.1%
Gulf of Mexico
1% Pacific
34%
Alaska 4%
Hawaii 8%
Disposal Methods
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Over the Side Disposal
Results in linear
trails such as
seen in the above
SONAR data
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Consolidated Disposal
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Chemical Bombs Off Hawaii
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• Congressional mandate for development of an inventory of munitions disposal sites
• Effort required four years of research in DoD files and the National Archives
• Documentation is widely dispersed – jigsaw puzzle of data
• Central management of data critical
• Additional information is still likely to be found
• Provides a basis for discussion of possible risk and how it can be managed
Development of an Inventory of Disposal Sites
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Conclusions…
• US undertook a significant effort to assemble an
inventory of historic disposals in US coastal waters
• CWM in US coastal waters:
− 20 sites known to receive CWC schedule chemicals
− 96% of chemicals disposed 19km or more from shore
− 96% of chemicals disposed in water 305m or deeper
• Inventory allows for informed discussions on risk