Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility weekly project update - July 21, 2011

The last shipment of sulfur-impregnated carbon (SIC) used in the Pollution Abatement System (PAS) Filter System left a permitted storage area on the depot Wednesday bound for a treatment and disposal facility in Utah. The SIC has been in permitted storage since the first change-out after starting the mustard campaign in 2009.

SIC was designed to capture mercury when processing suspected high-mercury ton containers early in
the campaign.

Wednesday’s shipment was the 12th since shipping began on June 8. About 273,000 pounds, or some 560 containers, have been shipped.

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Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility weekly project update - July 14, 2011 2011

Depot firefighters represent Team Umatilla

Rich Jendro and Steve Petersen of the Umatilla Chemical Depot Fire Department traveled to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, Sunday, July 9, to represent Umatilla Chemical Depot in the Firefighter Combat Challenge.
 
The Challenge annually attracts hundreds of U.S. and Canadian municipal fire departments at more than 25 locations around the country. It seeks to encourage firefighter fitness and demonstrate the profession’s rigors to the public. Wearing “full bunker gear” and breathing apparatus, pairs of competitors race head-to-head as they simulate the physical demands of firefighting by performing a linked series of five tasks including climbing the five-story tower, hoisting, chopping, dragging hoses and rescuing a life-sized, 175-pound “victim” as they race against themselves, their opponent and the clock.

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Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility weekly project update - July 7, 2011

Mustard destruction reaches 75 percent

The Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF) destroyed its 1,976th mustard agent filled ton container (TC) Tuesday, leaving 659 TCs remaining in inventory. This represents destruction of 75 percent of the HD mustard ton containers in the Umatilla Chemical Depot chemical stockpile.

“Seventy-five percent of our inventory has been destroyed while accruing more than 8 million man hours without a lost-time accident,” Gary Anderson, UMCDF Site Project Manager, said. “Our workers demonstrate around the clock their professionalism, attention to detail and ability to deliver as we transition toward the closure of the chemical mission here at Umatilla.”

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Umatilla Chemical Depot destroys 75% of Mustard Ton Containers

Tuesday, 5 July, the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility destroyed its 1,976th mustard agent filled ton container, leaving 659 TCs remaining in inventory. This represents destruction of 75 percent of the HD mustard ton containers in the Umatilla Chemical Depot chemical stockpile.

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Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility weekly project update - June 30, 2011

Congressional staffers visit UMCDF

Deputy Assistant Secretary for Elimination of Chemical Weapons Carmen Spencer, Megan Milam-Rosenbusch of the House Appropriations Committee - Defense Staff and U.S. Army Congressional Liaison Lt. Col. Kelly Laurel, observed Control Room activities during a tour of the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility Tuesday.  Operations Manager Kim Jackson explained the chemical demilitarization process.

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Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility weekly project update - June 16, 2011.

 Furnace issues curtail processing

Early Saturday morning, issues arose with the Metal Parts Furnace (MPF) when a ton container (TC) became stuck between the MPF charge airlock and Zone 1. This required numerous entries to complete repairs to the MPF and move the TC safely back into Zone 1.

Alpha Crew performed the first entry early Saturday morning, and then Delta crew did “yeoman’s work” performing multiple entries throughout their shift, said Operations Manager Kim Jackson. The mechanics and operators who performed the entries did an exceptional job, she added. Jackson also credited the HAZMATteam (pictured above) and Demilitarization Protection Ensemble (DPE) Support Area (DSA) for performing backup duties and coordinating entries, and a “super job” by the Control Room in managing the MPF entries.

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Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility weekly project update - June 9, 2011.

Although the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility (UMCDF) won’t receive official word on its Voluntary Protection Program (VPP) recertification for a few weeks, the recent visit by a two-man inspection team left the impression that the project will certainly retain its “Star” status.

UMCDF first earned VPP certification in late 2006. VPP is an Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) program that sets performance- based criteria for a managed safety and health system, and then assesses applicants against those criteria. Star status is the highest safety designationprovided by the federal government.

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