January 27, 2012
Since the US began destroying its chemical weapon stockpiles in 1986, Craig Williams has been monitoring the process to ensure that safe disposal methods are in place.
He won the Goldman Prize in 2006 for his work to ban hazardous incineration techniques at weapons depots around the country. In late 2011, Williams traveled to The Hague to deliver a progress report on the US’s work to eradicate chemical weapon stockpiles.
In mid-January, the US Army destroyed its last chemical weapons at Utah’s Desert Chemical Depot, bringing the eradication process to 90% complete. Desert Chemical Depot held the world’s single largest stockpile. “It’s an impressive effort, a great step forward for the safety of the world,” Williams said in response to the news.
As founder of the Chemical Weapons Working Group (CWWG), Williams will continue to monitor and report on the US’s progress toward complete chemical weapon eradication, as work begins on the remaining 10% in Pueblo, Colorado and Richmond, Kentucky.
