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REQUIREMENTS AND CONSIDERATIONS FOR CHEMICAL DEMILITARIZATION TECHNOLOGIES 81 PERFORMANCE STANDARDS Chemical agent destruction technologies must meet various performance standards, including those for worker protection, ambient air quality control, and liquid and solid waste control. These standards are generated by several different regulatory agencies, including the Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health, and U.S. Department of the Army, and by such laws as the Occupational, Safety and Health Act, the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act, and the Toxic Substances Control Act. Special regulations are also imposed by the Army to meet the requirements necessitated by the especially toxic nature of the chemical agents. These special Army regulations are the main focus of the discussion below. Worker Standards Aside from protection against possible explosions and other industrial accidents, all handling processes are designed to preclude worker contact with chemical agent. This includes the requirement to use full-body, plastic protective suits, into which a worker is sealed (a Demilitarization Protective Ensemble, or DPE). The DPE includes a remote clean air supply for work in contaminated areas where the airborne exposure would likely exceed the maximum permissible level for workers (see Table 4-1). Air Quality Standards The Army has several air quality standards (permissible hazard concentrations) depending on the specific chemical agent and location. These and lethal dose estimates for agents are shown in Table 4-1. Liquid Wastes State and community standards for water effluents and drinking water should be satisfied. As a practical matter, it is normally better to recycle the most contaminated water internally in the plant processes.
