Chlorine gas will be released this week at Dugway Proving Ground in a joint venture with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to determine how the gas moves in urban environments.
The test trials, part of a project dubbed Jack Rabbit II, were announced last fall to help determine better safety and evacuation protocol should chlorine gas be released in an urban environment.
So far three trials had been conducted, with a fourth trial underway today, according to Sheryl Grubb, chief public affair officer at Dugway. Two additional tests are scheduled on Thursday and Friday, she said.
The trials will release loads of chlorine gas between five and 10 tons at one of Dugway’s remote test grids.
A mock urban test area has been constructed from large metal cargo containers, buildings and vehicles on a 400 foot by 600 foot gravel pad, according to a Dugway news release. Testing for infiltration and spread of the gas in the test environment will help determine whether some residents should shelter in place or be evacuated in case of a chlorine gas spill.
Hundreds of millions of tons of chlorine gas are transported every year by road, water and rail, according to the Department of Homeland Security. Much of that chlorine gas is transported in bulk through urban areas considered high risk.
As a result, chlorine is one of a number of chemicals the department is concerned about being released either intentionally or by accident.
Exposure to chlorine gas can cause blisters, fluid in the lungs and difficulty breathing, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Nine people died after a 2005 chlorine gas spill in Graniteville, South Carolina and three died as the result of a 2004 spill in San Antonio.
Chlorine gas is different from some airborne chemical agents because it is heavier than air and will settle in the lowest areas, according to the CDC. As a result, Jack Rabbit II will collect data on pooling, downwind concentrations and reactions with soil, vegetation and other surfaces, according to a Department of Homeland Security release on the project.
Jack Rabbit II is a four-year project that is in its second year; there will be additional testing and chlorine released the next two summers as well.