The aim of decontamination is to rapidly and effectively render harmless or remove poisonous substances both on personnel and equipment. High decontamination capacity is one of the factors which may reduce the effect of an attack with CW agents. In this way, it may act as a deterrent. The need for decontamination should be minimized to the extent possible by contamination avoidance and early warning. Equipment can be covered, for example, or easily decontaminated equipment can be chosen by means of suitable design and resistant surface cover.
Decontamination is time consuming and requires resources.
Nerve agents and substances causing injury to the skin and tissue are easily soluble in, and penetrate many different types of material, such as paint, plastics and rubber, all of which renders decontamination more difficult. If CW agents have penetrated sufficiently deep, then toxic gases can be released from the material for long periods. By adding substances which increase the viscosity of a CW agent, its persistence time and adhesive ability can be increased. These thickened agents will thus be more difficult to decontaminate with liquid decontaminants since they adhere to the material and are difficult to dissolve. Good body and respiration protection is essential for the maintenance of operational capacity for a limited period after a CW attack.