Gorny Plant Continues to Destroy Mustard Gas

The chemical weapons destruction plant in Gorny has destroyed 248.9 tonnes of mustard gas since its opening. According to the information and analytical centre on storing and destroying chemical weapons, 503.1 tonnes of reactive material have been produced by the plant and are now being stored in a special facility in hermetically sealed containers.

Environmental control posts monitor the atmosphere in the operations zone. No breach of the allowed levels of controlled substances has been detected. Between March 10 and 17 the maximum levels of controlled substances were no higher than half of the allowed concentration.

The plant in Gorny began work on December 19, 2002. Once 400 tonnes of mustard gas have been destroyed (1% of Russia's stores of poisonous substances), the plant will stop work for two months to allow decontamination operations to be carried out.