Dugway Proving Ground tests show "Decontaminating Solution 2" has some nasty problems - like possibly ruining the weapons it is supposed to decontaminate in case of germ, chemical or nuclear attack, or even killing the soldiers using it.
But Army command told Congress last week that it and the Marines still prefer to use the toxic chemical - called DS2 for short - even though Dugway tests show ordinary household bleach is cheaper, safer and as effective.The Navy, however, is switching to bleach. And the Air Force is switching to hot, soapy water - which Dugway tests show is also as effective and much cheaper and safer.
Key members of Congress were not happy with the Army for clinging to the toxic chemical - which requires soldiers using it to wear protective, astronaut-like suits.
"It could be, literally, another Agent Orange sitting out there," Rep. Mike Synar, D-Okla., chairman of the House Government Operations subcommittee on environment, energy and natural resources, told Army officials in a hearing.
The U.S. General Accounting Office, an investigative arm of Congress, also said it found numerous problems with how the military handles DS2. The problems range from improperly storing leaking containers to selling the dangerous chemical as surplus property to unsuspecting buyers.
It also found the Army is wasting millions by buying huge amounts of DS2 at $14 to $28 a gallon while at the same time disposing of large amounts that were still usable.
"We recommend that the Army and the Marine Corps use a substitute for DS2," said Norman J. Rabkin, a GAO researcher, at the hearing.
But Brig. Gen. David A. Nydam, deputy Army commander for chemical material, disagreed.
"While other decontaminants may be available, they are simply not as good as DS2 for our specific needs," he said, adding that it has a very long shelf life, works quickly, needs no mixing and comes in large drums the Army can easily transport.
He said bleach, however, has a shelf life of only about 18 months and is "not suitably packaged in commercial form for a military transport environment." He said the Air Force and Navy with fixed-base operations could more easily use bleach or hot soapy water than an Army on the move away from base.
A GAO report released at the hearing said Dugway tests showed that in comparative tests with liquid detergent, soil, diesel fuel, jet fuel and antifreeze, "DS2 was not shown to be the best decontaminant in any of the tests."
Also, it quoted Dugway analysts saying that using an alternative decontaminant "would not affect the military's ability to respond to chemical warfare."
The GAO pointed to a 1984 test at Dugway using DS2 on an M1 tank as proof that it could also render equipment useless. It severely damaged electrical cables and the periscope, and caused the rubber road wheels and track to decompose.
But Nydam said, "These tests, however, were conducted to obtain engineering information on the effects of DS2 without strict compliance with field decontamination procedures."
While the GAO said it found many DS2 containers improperly stored or leaking, Dugway spokesman Dick Whitaker told the Deseret News that is not the case at his base in the Utah desert.
"Dugway Proving Ground has 200 gallons of unused DS2 stored on post," he said. "Prior to its use, it is properly stored in sealed drums according to existing state and federal regulations. Each container is marked with an expiration date.
"After use, DS2 is treated as a hazardous waste and disposed of in accordance with existing federal and state laws."
He adds that drums periodically are checked for dents, corrosion or leaks. If problems are found, the drum is shipped by an approved contractor to a hazardous waste site for disposal.