Chemical Weapons: Stability of the U.S. Stockpile

摘要

Since 1985 the U.S. Army has been working to implement congressional direction todispose of the U.S. stockpile of unitary chemical weapons and agents-a process the Army currently estimates will cost $8.5 billion. Because the Army continues to experience delays in implementing its disposal program and may have to store the stockpile longer than planned the chairman asked us to revIew the Army's (1) prediction of how long chemical weapons can be stored safely and (2) contingency plans for disposing of chemical weapons that become dangerous. In November 1985, Congress passed Public Law 99-145 directing the Department of Defense (DoD) to destroy its stockpile of unitary chemical agents and weapons by September 30,1994. The weapons are stored at eight sites in the continental United States and on Johnston Atoll in the Pacific Ocean. (See app. I for the stockpile munitions and storage locations.) (jg).