A waste incinerator project at the Radford Army Ammunition Plant is back on schedule after various design and construction challenges related to the unique nature of the facility contributed to delays.
Initially, the project had been expected to be completed by this year, but now is scheduled for a summer of 2026 date.
Officials from the plant and the government contractor which runs the local facility, BAE Systems, updated the public this past week during an online community meeting.
This state-of-the-art facility will eliminate the need for open burning ground waste treatment, instead using advanced pollution control technology to significantly reduce emissions and enhance operational efficiency. As with any new technology and novel application, challenges arise. This groundbreaking project is no different and is delayed beyond the July 2025 planned completion date.
Over the past 10 years, the facility’s environmental record has come under increasing scrutiny. At the heart of public concern has been the contaminants being put into the air thanks to an “open air burning ground (OBG) to the rear of the facility.
The propellant production results in waste containing various hazardous chemicals, such as barium, chromium, and mercury. The practice has been to simply burn the waste at the OBG.
Residents and members of the Sierra Club have expressed concerns that particles of lead and other elements were being carried downwind to many of the communities in and around the plant near Fairlawn and Radford.
Researchers who flew a drone over the open burning in 2017 found arsenic, lead and other pollutants at higher-than-expected levels. The drone was flown into plumes while carrying a gas- and particle-sensing system designed by the Environmental Protection Agency, according to the report.
This is where the new incinerator comes into play, and the Army says it will eliminate this idea of “open” burning and pull it inside the incinerator. This will include Rotary kiln incinerators, contained burn and decontamination chambers, grinder building and a control and maintenance building.
The Army says it is steadfastly committed to delivering this project and, in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and their contractor, will make every effort to minimize the delay while ensuring worker safety and without compromising the effectiveness of the new facility.
“This is a first-of-its-kind facility with complexities that required design changes, rework during construction, and close coordination across multiple partners” said Andrea Henry, USACE Norfolk District Project Manager. “We recognized signs of schedule risk in late 2024 and began working with the contractor on a recovery plan. Our focus remains on delivering a high-quality, safe, and effective solution for the Army and the community.”
Over the past decade, RAAP has made substantial strides in reducing its environmental footprint, supported by the Army’s investment of approximately $715 million in sustainability initiatives. Since 2017, the facility has reduced open burning treatment by more than 50%, consistently operating well below permitted levels. The EWI, which integrates the latest air pollution control devices, marks another major milestone in these efforts. The new incinerator will process nearly all waste that would have otherwise required open burning while remaining strictly regulated by the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality.
