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For all you former NBC types (I know you’re out there, you’ve commented before!) the big story this week is that at long last, the US is destroying the last of its chemical weapons.<\/p>\n
Like any government program, they are decades late and 2,900% over budget – originally forecast to cost $1,400,000,000, it has cost over $42,000,000,000. Kinda like base renaming, huh?<\/p>\n
\nThe United States and the Soviet Union agreed in principle in 1989 to destroy their chemical weapons stockpiles, and when the Senate ratified the Chemical Weapons Convention in 1997, the United States and other signatories committed to getting rid of chemical weapons once and for all.<\/p>\n
But destroying them has not been easy: They were built to be fired, not disassembled. The combination of explosives and poison makes them exceptionally dangerous to handle.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
NY Times<\/a><\/p>\n
The current method relies on robots that puncture, drain and wash the chemical-laden artillery shells and rockets, which are then baked to render them harmless. The drained gas is diluted in hot water and neutralized either with bacteria (for mustard gas) or caustic soda (for nerve agents). The remaining liquid is then incinerated. Teams use X-rays to check for leaks before destruction starts, and they remotely monitor robots to minimize contact with hazardous material.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n