Chemical Weapons Disposal by Way of Thermal Treatment Planned to Be Used in Saratov Region

It is planned to put into operation a production unit for chemical weapons disposal by way of thermal treatment at the chemical weapons disposing plant in the settlement of Gorny, Saratov region (the Volga area) in the second quarter of 2003.

The Saratov industrial ministry reported on Tuesday that since the commissioning of the enterprise on December 19, 2002, 39 tons of poisonous yperite gas were liquidated. The reaction masses (the 3rd danger class) which appear during the process are being loaded to special tanks which are temporarily kept on two prepared platforms.

In the first quarter of 2003, the Russian ammunition agency will declare an open competition for an optimal technology of processing reaction masses, which will be formed after the commissioning in Gorny of a line for eliminating lewisite. Scientists from Saratov State University named after N.G. Chernyshevsky will be among the participants in the competition.

The work of the plant is constantly controlled by international inspection groups of the organisation for banning chemical weapons whose members report on the results of the facility's activity, including on safety measures, to the Hague office of the organisation.