Published: August 07, 2008 07:35 am            

Ky. weapons depot reports second mustard gas leak

Lexington — Officials at a chemical weapons stockpile in Kentucky suspect rising summer temperatures are partly responsible for the second mustard gas leak in less than two weeks after the storage site went three years without one.

Like the previous leak detected on July 28 at a separate storage igloo, the one found Wednesday at Blue Grass Army Depot in Richmond was only a low concentration of the blister agent and not considered dangerous to the community or environment.

Once the source of the leak is detected, the weapon will be packed in a large leak-proof container to prevent future problems.

Richard Sloan, public affairs officer for the chemical storage site, said it wasn't clear why there have suddenly been two leaks, but all signs were pointing toward the heat. Mustard agent is essentially leak-proof and in a solid form at 56 degrees and lower. When the mercury rises, so does the opportunity for a leak, Sloan said.

"It's not an accurate predictor, nothing is, but we have found as the temperature rises, we tend to melt the mustard," Sloan said.

Mustard agent is among the least lethal of the Cold War-era munitions housed at the depot and other storage sites, and is set to be destroyed no later than 2017 to comply with an international treaty. Unlike sarin and other deadly nerve agents housed there, mustard is a weapon designed to debilitate an opposing Army by causing massive breakouts of blisters on the body, including the throat and lungs when inhaled.

Sloan said the concentration of the latest leak was so low, it was comparable to one grain of salt in 34 freight cars full of potato chips.

Craig Williams, director of the watchdog Chemical Weapons Working Group, said he too wasn't concerned, but he said the incidents underscore the need to dispose of all the weapons as quickly and safely as possible.

The depot has housed mustard munitions since 1944. Prior to this summer, the last mustard projectiles to leak were two in 2005. There were no leaks in 2004 and two each from 2001 through 2003.

By far the worst year for mustard projectile leaks was 1992, when 20 mustard projectiles were reported leaking. Sloan said that was because officials removed plugs on some of the projectiles, causing several vapor leaks in succession.

Although mustard gas leaks have become less frequent in recent years, in August 2007 the depot went into emergency mode to deal with a far more serious leak of sarin, which is lethal in minute amounts. Earlier this year, a second sarin vapor leak was detected.

Both of those weapons are expected to be destroyed by the end of the year using a mobile unit.

        

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