The Syrian Observatory For Human Rights

Syria weapons chemicals will come to Ellesmere Port by land

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Syrian chemicals set for destruction in Ellesmere Port will reach the area by land – not down the Mersey.

The substances – thought to be enough to fill around five lorries – will be unloaded at a secure military port before being transported to Merseyside.

The news came as environmental services firm Veolia insisted the process would be safe and subject to intense scrutiny.

Around 150 tonnes of “B-Precursors” from President Bashar Assad’s chemical weapons stockpile will be destroyed  at Ellesmere Port.

Syria chemicals heading for Ellesmere Port could make deadly VX gas

The chemicals, which are components that could be used to make weapons rather than weapons themselves,  will  be subjected to temperatures of 1,150C at the firm’s specialist incinerator.

Only carbon dioxide and water will be left at the end of the two week process.

Veolia executive director David Lusher dismissed fears over the arrival of the chemicals, reassuring campaigners they will be overseen by international observers and comply to strict safety regulations.

He said: “The materials of themselves are standard industrial grade chemicals. They are no different in terms of their properties to many of the materials we have taken on the site today, this week, last week or last year. This site processes around 100,000 tonnes of materials every year supporting local industries. We are talking about 150 tonnes out of 100,000 prior, so nothing is materially different except for perhaps the profile these materials have.”

Ellesmere Port and Neston MP Andrew Miller repeated his confidence in Veolia  – pointing to the site’s unblemished safety record since it opened in Ellesmere Port 23 years ago.

The destruction process has been delayed after the Syrian regime failed to meet export deadlines, with the chemicals still to leave the country.

A new timeframe has not been set but the materials must be destroyed by June 30, with Veolia chiefs now expecting them to arrive in April or May.

No more chemicals from weapon stockpiles to arrive on the Wirral

No more chemicals  from weapon  stockpiles around the  globe are in line to be  destroyed in Ellesmere  Port.

The Syrian  substances will be the  first destroyed at  Veolia’s Bridges Road  site to have come from  a  weapons arsenal.And Veolia executive  director David Lusher  confirmed he was not  aware of plans to  destroy anymore in the  facility’s incinerator.

He told the ECHO  “there is absolutely  nothing to suggest”  that more chemicals  were on their way to  the site as part of the  company’s contract  with the Ministry of  Defence.

He described the  Syrian project as a  “spot event” and  added “I’ve absolutely no knowledge of any follow up”.

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