Chemical Weapons Convention 

The Convention on the Prohibition of the Development, Production, Stockpiling and Use of 

Chemical Weapons and on Their Destruction, also known as the Chemical Weapons Convention 

(CWC), opened for signature in Paris Jan. 13, 1993, culminating 25 years of negotiations in the 

United Nations. Prior to CWC signature, the United States entered into two bilateral agreements 

with the former Soviet Union concerning chemical weapons. 

In 1989, the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Soviet Union and the United 

States regarding a Bilateral Verification Experiment and Data Exchange (referred to as the 

Wyoming MOU) sought to facilitate the CWC negotiating process through data exchanges and 

verification experiments, which have been completed. 

In 1990, the United States and the Soviet Union signed the Bilateral Destruction Agreement 

(BDA), which prohibits chemical weapons production and calls for each country to destroy most 

of its chemical weapons capability. By signing the BDA, the United States and the Soviet Union 

demonstrated their willingness to halt production and begin destruction of chemical weapons 

without waiting for agreement on the CWC. A verification protocol to the BDA was never 

completed and the CWC subsequently entered into force. 

The CWC prohibits research, development, production, stockpiling, transfer and use of chemical 

weapons. States Parties are required to destroy their chemical weapon stockpiles and production 

facilities located any place under their jurisdiction or control, as well as chemical weapons 

abandoned on the territory of another State Party. The CWC also prohibits the use of riot control 

agents as a method of warfare. 

Verification 

The CWC contains an ambitious verification regime of comprehensive data reporting and 

detailed on–site inspections. All State Party facilities that produce or consume treaty-limited 

"scheduled" chemicals above certain levels or thresholds are obligated to report those activities 

under the CWC. 

 

Any facilities that meet specified production or consumption thresholds found in the CWC must 

be "declared" by the State Party and become subject to routine inspections. They consist of an 

initial inspection and periodic follow-ups, called systematic or routine inspections. The purpose 

of routine inspections is to verify, through on-site inspection, each State Party's declared 

chemical activities. The Technical Secretariat of the CWC's Organization for the Prohibition of 

Chemical Weapons (OPCW) reviews data declarations and conducts these on-site inspections 

using multinational inspection teams employed by the organization. 

Concerns about compliance with the Convention, including those not resolved during routine 

inspections, may be addressed through challenge inspections. Conducted by the OPCW, a 

challenge inspection may be requested by any CWC State Party at any facility of a State Party of 

the CWC that is believed to be conducting prohibited CW activities. State Parties to the CWC 
do not have the right to refuse a challenge inspection. No challenge inspections have been 

initiated to date. 

Implementation progress 

The U.S. Senate provided its advice and consent to ratification of CWC April 24, 1997, and the 

treaty entered into force April 29, 1997, 180 days after the 65th signatory (Hungary) deposited its 

instrument of ratification with the United Nations. One hundred sixty-five states signed the 

Convention before entry into force. One hundred fifty-nine signatories have ratified and 23 

states have acceded for a total of 182 CWC member states. The OPCW Technical Secretariat 

has conducted over 2,800 initial and routine inspections worldwide. These inspections have 

focused on chemical weapons production, storage and commercial sites and facilities that 

manufacture small quantities of highly toxic chemicals for permitted medical, pharmaceutical or 

other peaceful purposes. 

The OPCW has completed initial inspections of all U.S. government Department of Defense 

(DoD) declared facilities. The first CWC initial inspections of a DoD destruction facility 

occurred at the Tooele Chemical Disposal Facility, Utah, June 1-4, 1997. The first initial 

inspection of a U.S. storage facility occurred at the Blue Grass Chemical Activity, Kentucky, 

also in June 1997. Since entry-into-force, the OPCW has conducted 811 visits and inspections at 

DoD chemical weapons storage, former production, and destruction facilities. 

The OPCW currently has a continuous monitoring presence at five facilities: Tooele Chemical 

Destruction Facility (CDF), Utah; Anniston CDF, Ala.; Pine Bluff CDF, Ark.; Umatilla CDF, 

Oregon; and Newport CDF, Indiana. Completion of CW destruction activities at the Aberdeen 

CDF, Md. and the Johnston Atoll Chemical Disposal System, Pacific Ocean, ended continuous 

monitoring requirements in March 2006 and February 2001, respectively. 

In May 2000, CWC inspections began at U.S. industry sites. The Department of Commerce 

(DOC), is the lead agency for industry inspections. The OPCW has conducted 52 initial 

inspections and 24 re-inspections of chemical industry sites. 

Agency role 

Although the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) is not responsible for conducting 

inspections under the CWC, DTRA has obligations for escorting OPCW inspection teams at 

DoD facilities in the United States. Before an inspection, the OPCW declares its intent to inspect 

a U.S. facility to the U.S. Nuclear Risk Reduction Center (NRRC), Washington, D.C. Following 

notification by the NRRC of an impending DoD CWC inspection, DTRA informs DoD 

components. DTRA then provides point-of-entry processing and logistical support for the 

OPCW team's inspection-related equipment and coordinates support arrangements for OPCW 

inspectors at the inspected site. The Agency also arranges transportation, escorts the inspectors 

to the site and serves as on-site escort in partnership with DoD site escorts. For inspections of 

U.S. chemical industry facilities, DTRA supports DOC by providing technical equipment 

inspections of the OPCW inspection equipment at the point of entry (POE). DOC performs all 

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other POE processing, logistical arrangements, and site escorting during chemical industry 

inspections. 

DTRA is also involved in CWC education and preparation programs for U.S. facilities, including 

assistance visits, practical exercises and dissemination of information materials through the 

Defense Treaty Inspection Readiness Program Outreach Program. 

DTRA 

DTRA safeguards America and its allies from weapons of mass destruction (chemical, biological, 

radiological, nuclear, and high yield explosives) by providing capabilities to reduce, eliminate, and 

counter the threat, and mitigate its effects. This Department of Defense combat support agency is 

located at Fort Belvoir, Va., and operates field offices worldwide. 

July 2007 

 

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