TOCDF begins chemical-mortar destruction

STOCKTON, Utah, April 6 (UPI) -- The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency said work has begun on destroying mortars filled with mustard agent at the Tooele Chemical Agent Disposal Facility.

The mortar destruction, part of an ongoing effort to eliminate the U.S. chemical weapons stockpile, is taking place at the Army disposal facility located at Deseret Chemical Depot in Utah, the Army Chemical Materials Agency reported.

Officials said workers have started to process HT mustard-agent-filled mortars at the facility. The operations will be monitored by Utah state regulatory authorities to ensure the disposal processing meets mercury-emission environmental requirements.

"More than 50 percent of the original mustard-agent stockpile ... has been eliminated," according to a news release. "Chemical weapons destruction operations at DCD are scheduled to be completed by fall 2011."