December 11, 2014 -- Editor’s note: The following article was provided by Marine Corps Logistics Command.
The Joint Program Office-Chemical Biological Defense Enterprise Fielding and Surveillance Directorate opened a new consolidated shredding and disposal facility at Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, recently.
At a ribbon cutting ceremony, a high speed dual-screw shredder, capable of destroying any soft materials and light metals, was put into service.
Maj. Gen. John J. Broadmeadow, commanding general, LOGCOM, cut the ribbon and placed the first item to be disposed into the shredder.
Michael Williamson, director of Marine Corps Logistics Command’s Logistics Services Management Center, discussed the importance of the new joint disposal facility.
“After consolidating our Defense Accountability Reutilization and Disposal operations, we did an assessment and standing up this capability was the best case for the Department of Defense and the taxpayer,” Williamson said.
According to Robert Wilson, JEFS director, “The incorporation of a shredder completes our plan to make the new facility an all-inclusive disposal operation.”
Wilson stated that in the past, Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear equipment was sent to the facility in Albany for accountability and re-utilization processes only. Equipment requiring disposal was then sent to a separate facility for demilitarization/destruction, adding additional shipping and logistics costs.
“Sending equipment to one facility reduces disposal costs and places tighter controls on the accountability of CBRN equipment,” Wilson said. “At full capacity, the shredder will be able to process roughly 25 tons daily. We have a lot of gear from all over DoD to process.”