The Radford Army Ammunition Plant is asking state environmental regulators to allow them to reuse acid, which is considered a hazardous material. Two groups have concerns that it could pose a risk to human health.
The Radford Army Ammunition Plant already buys acid to use in its manufacturing facility. Now it’s asking the state for permission to use spent, or recycled acid, from other facilities. Normally, these materials would be considered hazardous waste, but RAAP wants that classification waived.
Opponents have concerns with what they say is a lack of public information about how safe this spent acid is, says Thien Chau, an attorney for Earth Justice.
“There’s been no explanation as to whether and how much more risky spent acid can be compared to virgin acid,” Chau said.
His group is working with a local advocacy group, Citizens for Arsenal Accountability, to ask the state for more time to review the variance request.
One of the local organizers with CAA, Alyssa Carpenter, attended a recent public meeting, hosted by Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
“When we asked at the public meeting if there was going to be any more information that was made publically available, the Department of Environmental Quality informed us that they would not be making any more information publically available,” Carpenter said.
In their application, RAAP says that recycling spent acid doesn’t contain levels of hazardous materials that are significantly higher than in raw products.
It’s not clear what other material this recycled acid may contains, and what additional pollutants it could release.
A spokesperson for the Army Joint Munitions Command confirmed that the application also contained a clerical error. They had requested to use 27 million tons of spent acid, but they meant to ask to use 27 million pounds.
Public comment about the RAAP’s request is open until November 25.
