HI-TECH company AEA Technology has scooped a major deal to help destroy stockpiled chemical weapons, writes Chris Koenig.

The US Army has awarded a new contract to AEA to help assess an environmentally friendly method of destroying weapons.

Harwell-based AEA Technology and American firm CH2MHill share the £100,000 contract to continue evaluating the Silver 11 electrochemical oxidation process, which was developed in Britain.

Under the terms of the Assembled Chemical Weapons Assessment (ACWA) programme, funded by Congress, the US Army must demonstrate at least two alternatives to incineration for the complete destruction of such weapons. The new contract requires the team to provide detailed safety and hazard assessment for demonstration between July and December this year.

The demonstration is likely to take place at both UK and US Government sites.

Silver 11 has already successfully destroyed both chemical weapons agents and explosives.

It offers a safe way of destroying most toxic organic material and has been tested on nerve agents and mustard gas.

AEA Technology says tests have shown that both agents and explosives are completely broken down into easily-handled inert gases, liquid and solid wastes.

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