Destruction of Chemical Weapons

Destruction means that existing chemical weapons must be completely destroyed, and also that the facilities where these chemical weapons were produced must be destroyed as well.

Each country that belongs to the OPCW must:

destroy all chemical weapons it owns or possesses;
destroy all chemical weapons it may have abandoned in another country; and
destroy facilities it owns or possesses which were involved in the production of chemical weapons.

Several countries have declared chemical weapons, amounting to nearly 70,000 metric tonnes of toxic agents in 8.6 million munitions and containers. The biggest arsenals that must be destroyed are in Russia and the United States. The Convention requires member countries to destroy their chemical weapons within 10 years after the CWC entered into force—by 2007. However, it is possible to request an extension of this destruction deadline by up to five years, until 2012, if there are problems with the destruction programme. The approval of the other OPCW member countries is necessary for an exceptional extension of the destruction timeline.

Member countries cannot destroy chemical weapons in any way that they like. The Convention stipulates that the destruction process cannot harm people or the environment. Accordingly, the four countries that possess chemical weapons are required to use safe technologies for their destruction. The OPCW continuously monitors the destruction of chemical weapons at a number of chemical weapons destruction facilities araound the world.

The OPCW also regularly inspects all former chemical weapons production facilities declared to it by its member countries in order to make certain that they are all shut down and destroyed, or converted for use for peaceful purposes. Over half of these facilities have been either completely destroyed or converted so far. The OPCW is overseeing the destruction/conversion of the remaining facilities.

The OPCW also monitors the destruction of chemical weapons that are old or deteriorated or that were abandoned by one country on the territory of another. Under the Convention, member countries must declare such weapons to the OPCW and undertake to destroy them.

Timetable illustrates destruction deadlines for countries that were States Parties on the date of entry into force of the CWC, 29 April 1997. The Convention gives States Parties the option of destroying their chemical weapons sooner and at a faster pace than indicated if they so desire.

Member countries cannot destroy chemical weapons in any way they want to. The Convention mandates that the destruction process cannot harm people or the environment. Accordingly, the four countries that possess chemical weapons are required to use safe technologies for their destruction. The OPCW continuously monitors the destruction of chemical weapons at a number of chemical weapons destruction facilities around the world. At any given moment, around the clock, OPCW inspectors are monitoring the destruction of chemical weapons.

The OPCW also regularly inspects all former chemical weapons production facilities declared to it by member countries to make certain that they are all shut down and destroyed, or converted for use for peaceful purposes. Over half of these facilities have been either completely destroyed or converted so far. The OPCW is overseeing the destruction/conversion processes at the remaining facilities.