Detritus from WWI Chemical Weapons lab found in Washington D.C.

[CalMeacham]

I realize that the media have a ytendency to sensationaliaze, but this sounds bad even after discounting for that:

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has uncovered what could be a fourth major disposal area for World War I-era munitions and chemical weapons in the nation’s capital.

Digging was suspended April 8 as a precaution at the site in the pricey Spring Valley neighborhood near American University after workers pulled smoking glassware from the pit, project manager Dan Noble said Thursday.

Preliminary tests show the glassware was contaminated with the toxic chemical arsenic trichloride. Officials will review safety procedures before digging continues.

Workers also discovered a jar about three-quarters full of a dark liquid that turned out to be the chemical agent mustard. It was used during World War I as a weapon that caused blisters, breathing problems and vomiting.

…
During World War I, the Army used the university as an experiment station to develop and test chemical weapons. Previously, there were three known sites where weapons and chemicals were buried.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/us_dc_munitions_dig
A glass jar (size not stated) full of the stuff of mustard gas. Neat. Glad I wasn’t nearby when they dug it up.

[Tom_Scud]

Wow. They found the WMDs.

[Ravenman]

In case you hadn’t heard the story before, they’ve been digging up stuff in Spring Valley for a long time – I want to say about 10 years.

[slaphead]

A while ago they had to evacuate a couple of towns after a batch of shells someone dug up started leaking.

Iron harvest

War - the gift that keeps on giving…

[Paul_in_Qatar]

old news

[An_Arky]

Yeah, they’ve known about Spring Valley for a number of years now. I guess this is just a cache of the stuff they hadn’t found yet.

Thing is, that’s a VERY well-to-do area…