It would seem that residents of the remote town of Mirny along the Trans-Siberian railroad have good reason to be nervous about the pending destruction of 4,000 tons of the nerve agent VX at a nearby base. Stockpiled nearby are almost 7,000 tons of chemical agents inside 40,000 aerial bombs. Under its obligations for the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC), Russia must destroy 20% of its chemical weapons stockpile by 2007, and all of it by 2012. Currently, Russia has only destroyed about 1% of its stockpile at various sites throughout the country. The toxicity of chemical weapons is something that evokes fear worldwide, and this extends to environmental concerns about leaking stockpiles and/or their destruction. This issue, however, is particularly prescient for Russia because of Russian/Soviet mediocre track record with the environmental preservation and general safety. Toxic dumping was commonplace in the Soviet era, the ramifications of which are still largely unknown, and accidents at the Chernobyl nuclear plant?including the 1986 disaster?and the release of anthrax at the bioweapons facility in Sverdlovsk are safety issues that had high fatality consequences.

Residents in the area are concerned that the method proposed to neutralize the VX stockpile has not been tested sufficiently for safety concerns. The current plan is to use a 100 day neutralization term whereby the tops of bombs are cut off, water containing neutralizing additives is poured in, and the bombs are resealed for three months. In contrast, the US spent 18 months testing methods of destruction and was not sufficiently satisfied with security measures. Authorities contend that the remaining residue should have a low toxicity. What to do with the materials remains unanswered. Critics are worried that the bombs could rupture from a reaction between the agent and water solutions. Residents and critics alike are worried that the method has not been tested, and in order to meet the April 2007 deadline, the process will be rushed, and safety concerns might be ignored.

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