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APPLICATION OF ALTERNATIVE TECHNOLOGIES TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE U.S. CHEMICAL WEAPONS 193 STOCKPILE processes) by substituting oxygen for air. Although technology is available to shift from air to oxygen, demonstration of operation with oxygen would be required. Combinations of the unit processes in Table 8-1 into systems for use in the stockpile disposal program are considered later. WASTE STREAM HANDLING PROCESSES The waste streams of conversion processes for agent, energetics, and metal parts will require additional processing to meet standards for release to the environment. In all cases, monitoring via chemical analysis is an integral step. Ideally, each waste stream should be stored until chemical analysis is completed and the waste stream can be certified for compliance with the required standards for environmental release (i.e., the process can be operated as a closed system). Discussion of solid, gas, and liquid waste streams follows. Solid Waste Waste metal. In the baseline process, all metal is heat-treated to qualify for the 5X decontamination rating (1000°F for 15 minutes) and can be released to the public and recycled for other uses. The metal parts (traveling- grate) furnace is designed to perform this function for drained ton containers and artillery shells. 5X heat treatment is believed to make monitoring by chemical analysis unnecessary. Treatment to a decontamination level of 3X, to allow transport and disposal as toxic waste, would permit eliminating the traveling grate-kiln, but monitoring would then be necessary. Waste salts. Salts of H2CO3, HF, HCl, H3PO4, and H2SO4 are formed by neutralization of these acidic products of agent and by energetics oxidation and are a major waste stream. They can be formed directly in the destruction process (as in NaOH hydrolysis) or in the gas pollution abatement system. If CO2 is discarded as a gas, oxidation of GB forms 2.3 pounds of calcium salts for each pound of GB destroyed; if the CO2 from oxidation is discarded as CaCO3, an additional 2.8 pounds of salts per pound of GB must be discarded. Excess base, as used in the baseline pollution abatement system, will increase this amount to a total of about 10 pounds of dry salts per pound of GB. If agent destruction involves additional organic solvents or reagents or if flue gas from fuel combustion is treated, additional CO2 will be generated. Although methods for chemical analysis are available, the inherent problem of obtaining a representative sample of a heterogeneous solid for
