2013 sea disposal of chemical warfare materiel in us coastal waters
DESCRIPTION
Preseatation from a side event in cooperation with the Embassies of Lithuania and Poland at the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Headquarters on 3 December 2013 discussing the global issues with Sea Dumped Chemical Weapons. Summarizes the disposals in US coastal waters based on an inventory of disposals completed for Congress.TRANSCRIPT
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
| 3
• 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
| 10
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
| 14
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
