OVERVIEW
The U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity (CMA) Recovered Chemical Materiel Directorate (RCMD) provides centralized
management and direction to the Department of Defense for the assessment and disposal of recovered chemical warfare
materiel (RCWM) in a safe and environmentally compliant manner.
RCMD leads the nation in the development and utilization of advanced technology to destroy RCWM. In 1997, the United
States entered into force of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), an international treaty requiring the destruction of chemical weapons.
In support of U.S. treaty obligations, CMA RCMD maintains
the technology and personnel expertise to continue to destroy
chemical warfare materiel around the country.
History
The U.S. Army Non-Stockpile Chemical Materiel Project (NSCMP) was created in 1992 to support the assessment
and treatment of chemical warfare materiel that was not part of the nation’s chemical weapons stockpile.
NSCMP’s expertise has transferred to the Recovered Chemical Materiel Directorate (RCMD), U.S. Army Chemical
Materials Activity (CMA). RCMD leads the nation in the development and utilization of advanced technology
to treat recovered chemical warfare materiel.
Treaty Compliance
In compliance with the treaty, CMA RCMD was
tasked with destroying all non-stockpile chemical
weapons and former chemical warfare production
facilities. CMA RCMD safely completed all major
treaty destruction missions ahead of schedule.
CMA RCMD continues to assess and destroy
RCWM as it is recovered, reporting all declared
items to the Organisation for the Prohibition
of Chemical Weapons, the international
organization that verifies treaty compliance.
CMA RCMD Personnel & Equipment
Provide tools, tactics and technologies to strengthen the
Soldier’s knowledge base in the assessment and
treatment of chemical warfare materiel.
Proven, transportable assessment technologies to quickly
respond to planned and unplanned recoveries on site,
most often in response to items unearthed during range clearing operations and from relic burial sites.
On-site destruction of RCWM using proven technologies
that safely and effectively neutralize chemical warfare
materiel while protecting operators, the community and
the environment.
RCWM Assessment & Treatment
When an item of chemical and explosive concern is recovered, CMA RCMD deploys its proven assessment
technologies to the site to determine whether a munition is explosively configured or contains chemical
agent.
When items are identified as containing chemical agent, CMA RCMD treatment technologies
safely and effectively destroy munitions of all shapes and sizes, providing complete containment of the
neutralization process while protecting operators, the community and the environment.
Not all assessments
result in a finding of recovered chemical warfare materiel. If the item does not contain chemical warfare
materiel, it is disposed of locally.