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    Back to To the Point

    To the Point

    Getting Rid of America's Chemical Weapons

    VX is one of the most toxic substances ever made; as little as 200 micrograms are said to be fatal.   The nerve agent is part of the arsenal of chemical weapons the US has agreed to destroy by 2012. More than 40% has been hydrolyzed, so diluted with water and other chemicals that the Army says it's effectively neutral.   But that has…

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    By Warren Olney • May 12, 2014 • 1 min read

    VX is one of the most toxic substances ever made; as little as 200 micrograms are said to be fatal.The nerve agent is part of the arsenal of chemical weapons the US has agreed to destroy by 2012. More than 40% has been hydrolyzed, so diluted with water and other chemicals that the Army says it's effectively neutral.But that has created millions of gallons of waste to be disposed of.After officials in New Jersey and Ohio rejected plans to dump the waste in their rivers, it's being trucked out of Indiana 1000 miles through six other states to Port Arthur, Texas, where the toxic residue will be incinerated.What are the risks to public health? Why did other states turn down the money and jobs a government contract will bring? Was Port Arthur's largely black and Hispanic community notified in advance? How did September 11 accelerate the disposal process?

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Getting Rid of America's Chemical Weapons
    1. 1:39Israeli Foreign Minister Calls for Olmert's Resignation
    2. 7:39Getting Rid of America's Chemical WeaponsYou’re reading this
    3. 42:42Should News Media Make Public DC Madam's Client List?
    • https://images.ctfassets.net/2658fe8gbo8o/AvYox6VuEgcxpd20Xo9d3/769bca4fbf97bf022190f4813812c1e2/new-default.jpg?h=250

      Warren Olney

      former KCRW broadcaster

    • KCRW placeholder

      Vanessa Romo

      LA School Report

    • KCRW placeholder

      Karen Radziner

      Managing Producer, To the Point & Which Way LA?

    • KCRW placeholder

      Christian Bordal

      Managing Producer, Greater LA

    • KCRW placeholder

      Oscar Ortiz

      Mayor of Port Arthur, Texas

    • KCRW placeholder

      Hilton Kelley

      Director of the Community In-Power Development Association

    • KCRW placeholder

      Jesse Barber

      Project for the US Army's Chemical Stockpile Elimination Project

      NewsNationalPolitics

    The full episode

    2 of 3
    Getting Rid of America's Chemical Weapons
    1. 1:39Israeli Foreign Minister Calls for Olmert's Resignation
    2. 7:39Getting Rid of America's Chemical WeaponsYou’re reading this
    3. 42:42Should News Media Make Public DC Madam's Client List?
    Back to To the Point