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The Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System (JACADS), the Army’s first full-scale chemical weapons disposal facility, was one of nine Army installations in the United States that stored chemical weapons.
JACADS safely completed its mission in 2000. This mission was accomplished while protecting workers, the community and the remote island’s delicate environment.
Located 800 miles southwest of Hawaii and the first of the U.S. sites to complete its chemical weapons disposal mission, JACADS represents a major milestone in the U.S. Army Chemical Materials Activity history.
During a 14-year period, more than four million pounds of nerve agents, GB and VX, as well as blister agent HD, were safely destroyed and the disposal facility dismantled. Chemical agents contained in 412,798
munitions, including projectiles, rockets, bombs, and ton containers, were eliminated, reducing the overall U.S. stockpile by six percent.
This facility served as a model of safe incineration operations, resulting in safety and process enhancements that are benefiting chemical weapons disposal efforts across the country and around the globe.
The Army has been working with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to close the facility according to environmental standards. Closure activities involved cleaning and removing all hazardous wastes,
equipment and systems used for disposal operations. Prior to final closure, analyses will be performed in all related areas to ensure that the Army has met the EPA’s stringent criteria.
Safety and Environmental Protection
In addition to its chemical weapons disposal mission, JACADS also ensured environmental protection of the atoll. The Johnston Atoll Wildlife Refuge thrived throughout disposal operations and continues to support
13 nesting species of seabirds, five species of shorebirds, 32 species of coral and more than 300 species of fish.
Managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Army sponsors research between the managing agency and the Boston University Marine Program to conduct long-term environmental studies and support continued
protection of the atoll.
Public Participation and Community Relations
To learn more about the Army’s chemical weapons disposal, call 410-436-3629, or call CMA's toll-free number 800-488-0648.
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JACADS Timeline [1,044KB pdf]
9/16/2004 Johnston Island, HI - 1934 - Executive order 6935 transfers control of Johnston Atoll, located 825 miles southwest of Hawaii, to U.S. Navy.
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Johnston Island Facts & Figures [1,201KB pdf]
9/16/2004 Johnston Island, HI - Discovered in 1796 by Capt. Joseph Pierpont of Boston when his American brig 'Sally' ran aground.
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U.S. ARMY CHEMICAL MATERIALS AGENCY [192KB pdf]
9/16/2004 Johnston Island, HI - Did you know? Johnston Atoll, located about 825 miles southwest of Hawaii, was home to more than six percent of the nation's originally declared stockpile of chemical weapons.
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