Talking with a Chemical Weapon Incinerator Operator

Check out this dialogue between a person associated with the Army's Chemical Materials Agency and curious laypersons. It's pretty interesting and somewhat entertaining... the expert here is calling himself/herself "sniff," which is funny (considering the topic - sorry, we're all sick puppies).

mfriedm 16 points 1 day ago[-]
 Are there weapons that, when burned, produce toxic gases? I imagine there are – how do you deal with them? Filters?

---sniff--- [S] 29 points 1 day ago[-]
Each furnace has a rather intricate Pollution Abatement system. The gasses pass through a deluge of sodium hydroxide (lye) and then into some carbon filters. In reality the chem weapons are broken down by the high temperatures so there is no danger of toxic off gassing. It is CO and particulates that are common to any facility that burns things that are of concern.

mfriedm 9 points 1 day ago[-]
 How hot is it that it breaks down everything?

---sniff--- [S] 20 points 1 day ago[-]
 1500ºF - 2700ºF depending on the process

starspangledpickle 8 points 1 day ago[-]
 So how does the incinerator get the temperatures that high?

---sniff--- [S] 17 points 1 day ago[-]
 Natural gas

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 FLX 1 point 1 day ago[-]
 Has there ever been a serious accident? Stories please!

aeflash 14 points 1 day ago[-]
 One time this disgruntled war vet stole a bunch of canisters, garrisoned a decommissioned prison, and put the canisters on rockets aimed at a city. Nicholas Cage had to go in and defuse the situation.

---sniff--- [S] 3 points 1 day ago[-]
 I acted as a ninja in that movie helping Nick. Look closely and I'm that dark blur in the background.

Actually this is a pretty good conversation, and I sincerely wish there would be more frank discussions like this by government workers about this topic.