Support local, independent journalism in Central Oregon! Become a Source Weekly Member today.

DEQ fines facility for chemical weapon destruction violations

Air quality violations reap chemical destruction company DEQ fine.

[
        {
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 1",
          "insertPoint": "1/2",
          "component": "16844684",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "6"
        }
        
        ,{
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 2",
          "insertPoint": "1/4",
          "component": "16844686",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "20"
        },{
          "name": "Air - Ad - Rectangle - 2 pack - Inline Content - 3",
          "insertPoint": "3/4",
          "component": "16844687",
          "requiredCountToDisplay": "17"
        }
      ]

The operators of the Umatilla Chemical Agent Disposal Facility in Hermiston have been slapped with a $46,800 fine from the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality.

The fine stems from Washington Demilitarization Company’s failure to monitor air quality accurately and for releasing too much carbon monoxide while incinerating mustard gas during the months of June and September 2011.

The company finished destroying scary things like nerve gas and blister agent from the United States Army’s chemical weapons stock that had been stored at the nearby Umatilla Chemical Depot in October.

No one was actually exposed to anything harmful after these recent violations, but three cheers for the DEQ taking the violations seriously.