World’s declared stockpiles of chemical weapons destroyed as US finishes the job
Chemical weapons watchdog confirms that historic milestone has been passed towards ending threat of chemical warfare
The US has destroyed its last remaining chemical weapons stockpile. The Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) has confirmed that, as a result, all of the world’s declared stockpiles have now been eliminated.
In 1997 the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) came into force, obligating member states to destroy any chemical weapon stockpiles that they held. The convention also prohibits the production of new chemical weapons and their precursors, with an exception for small quantities for research purposes.