Oregon Judge Permits Continued Incineration of Chemical Weapons

An Oregon state circuit judge has denied a motion for summary judgment against the State of Oregon and its co-defendant, the U.S. Army, relating to the incineration of chemical weapons.  The complaint, which was filed after Oregon approved the burning of mustard gas, claimed that alternative methods which were safer and more environmentally conscious are available.  The U.S. Army has claimed that this activity has a proven track record of reliability and safety and is in compliance with the Chemical Weapons Convention.  Some commentators have noted that such lawsuits are delaying the Army’s chemical demilitarization program.  As of October 27, the U.S. Army had destroyed 66% of its original chemical stockpile since entry into the CWC.

#ChemicalWeapons #ChemicalWeaponsConvention #SLN