Demilitarisation
Elimination of chemical weapons stockpiles and chemical weapons production facilities subject to the verification measures provided for in the Convention.
Latest facts and figures
The 7 States Parties (A State Party,
Albania, India, Iraq, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the Russian Federation, and the United States of
America) which have declared chemical weapons must destroy 8.67
million items, including munitions and containers containing in total,
71,195 metric tonnes of extremely toxic chemical agents. Albania, India and a third country have completed destruction. By
comparison, a tiny drop of a nerve agent, no larger than the head of a pin, can kill an adult
human being within minutes after exposure.The OPCW verifies that the destruction process is
irreversible. At the same time, States Parties in the process of destroying chemical weapons
are obliged to place the highest priority on the safety of people and on protecting the
environment.
50,619, or
71.10%, of the world's declared stockpile of
71,195 metric tonnes of chemical agent have been verifiably destroyed. (As
at 30/11/2011)
3.95, or
45.56%, of the 8.67 million chemical
munitions and containers covered by the CWC have been verifiably destroyed. (As at
30/11/2011)
Chemical weapons declared and destroyed
| Chemical agent (metric tonnes) | Munitions/containers (million items) | |
|---|---|---|
| Declared | 71,195 | 8.67 |
| Destroyed | 50,619 | 3.95 |
Last updated : 30/11/2011 |
||
| States Parties which have declared Facilities | Declared Sites or Facilities | Inspections Conducted | Sites Inspected | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chemical Weapons Production Facilities | 13 | 70 | 438 | 67 |
| Chemical Weapon Destruction Facilities | 6 | 38 | 1,479 | 37 |
| Chemical Weapons Storage Facilities | 7 | 38 | 451 | 36 |
| Abandoned Chemical Weapons | 4 | 35 | 67 | 25 |
| Old Chemical Weapons | 15 | 49 | 105 | 30 |
| Total | 230 | 2,540 | 195 |
- From Entry into Force of the CWC (April 1997) until 30/11/2011, the OPCW has conducted 4,680 inspections on the territory of 81 States Parties, including 2,540 inspections of chemical weapon-related sites. 195 chemical weapon-related sites have been inspected out of a total of 230 declared.
- 100% of the declared chemical weapons stockpiles have been inventoried and verified.
- 180 initial declarations have been received.
- 100% of the declared chemical weapons production facilities (CWPFs) have been inactivated. All are subject to a verification regime of unprecedented stringency. 64 of the 70 CWPFs declared to the OPCW have been either destroyed (43) or converted for peaceful purposes (21). 13 States Parties have declared CWPFs: Bosnia and Herzegovina, China, France, India, the Islamic Republic of Iran, Iraq, Japan, the Libyan Arab Jamahiriya, the Russian Federation, Serbia, the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, the United States of America, and another State Party.
Supporting Chemical Weapons Destruction in the Russian Federation
Belgium and The United Kingdom sign Memorandum of Understanding. Ireland and New Zealand increase financial contribution.21 February 2006Full story
Supporting Chemical Weapons Destruction in the Russian Federation: Sweden and the United Kingdom Sign Cooperation Assistance Agreement, Czech Republic Increases Financial Contribution
The destruction of chemical weapons requires considerable financial resources and presents operational and technical complexities. The world’s largest declared stockpile of chemical weapons is secured in the Russian Federation....12 December 2005Full story
OPCW Director-General Addresses the Ninth Global Green Legacy Forum in Washington, D.C.
At the invitation of Global Green USA, the Director-General of the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), Ambassador Rogelio Pfirter, delivered the keynote address to the Ninth Global Green USA Legacy Forum...27 September 2005Full story
