Destruction of Nerve Gas Resumes in Ind.

[Judi Lynn]

Destruction of Nerve Gas Resumes in Ind.
Destruction of Deadly VX Nerve Gas Resumes in Indiana Three Weeks After Spill
The Associated Press

NEWPORT, Ind. Nov 19, 2005 — Workers fixed faulty gaskets on a chemical reactor built to neutralize the Newport Chemical Depot's stockpile of VX and restarted destruction of the deadly nerve agent Saturday, the Army said.

A gasket failure on Oct. 29 caused 490 gallons of caustic wastewater to spill at the facility. It was in an area where the wastewater is sampled to ensure it contains no measurable amounts of VX.

"At no time did the leak cause any danger to the work force, the community or the environment," said Rick Rife, project manager for contractor Parsons Technology Inc.

All 88 gaskets in the two chemical reactors being used to destroy VX were being replaced after the failure, and the second reactor tank was expected to be take another three weeks to complete.

The reactors are destroying more than 250,000 gallons of VX, a substance so toxic that a single droplet can kill a human.
(snip/...)

http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory?id=1329650

[dcfirefighter]

1. VX

Is oily, and is usually dispersed in an aerosolized cloud which coats everything with a fine, oily mist that persists for days and denies access to any area it's deployed in. While it is incredibly deadly, it's not as nasty as the WWI era mustard and blister agents. It won't jump out and get you, if you will - you could walk through a parking lot covered in it, and not have any problems, as long as you didn't touch the soles of your shoes. It's destroyed by bleach.