Introduction
Sunday, 24 January 2010 17:02
CDE Nancekuke was established in 1950 as a production plant for nerve gas on the site of a disused World War II airfield, RAF Portreath. The location near the coast in Cornwall was chosen because existing government facilities at Porton Down in Wiltshire and Sutton Oak in Lancashire were considered too close to large centres of population for nerve gas production, although Sutton Oak had been used for production of mustard gas. One benefit of Nancekuke's location on the coast was that any leaks of gas might disperse out to sea.
The production plant at Nancekuke was set up as a pilot project to test whether Britain could produce the large quantities of nerve agents required for offensive use of chemical weapons. It operated from 1953 until 1956 and produced 15 tons of GB nerve agent, which is better known as Sarin. At the end of the project the pilot plant was closed down and up to 48 employees were made redundant. Large quantities of GB produced in the pilot programme were stored at Nancekuke for many years to test its shelf life.
Production of nerve agents for use in research into defence against chemical weapons continued for many years until the site was closed after the 1976 Defence Review. The site was also used for production of other chemicals, including CS gas and insecticides during its operational life. The buildings and equipment were decontaminated and buried in five dumps on the site and stocks of chemicals were either destroyed or transferred to Porton Down. The site was handed back to the RAF in 1980 and re-opened as RAF Portreath.
The work undertaken at Nancekuke was kept totally secret until 1968. Then some limited information was made public as it leaked in the press. Fuller disclosure of Nancekuke's work waited until government documents were gradually released under the 'thirty year rule'. As more information was published, local people were worried that the work previously undertaken at Nancekuke and the disposal of materials when it closed could have adverse effects on the local environment. The RAF started to investigate the possible environmental impact of CDE Nancekuke's activities and disposal of plant and equipment after its closure. A remediation project was launched in 2001.
The production plant at Nancekuke was set up as a pilot project to test whether Britain could produce the large quantities of nerve agents required for offensive use of chemical weapons. It operated from 1953 until 1956 and produced 15 tons of GB nerve agent, which is better known as Sarin. At the end of the project the pilot plant was closed down and up to 48 employees were made redundant. Large quantities of GB produced in the pilot programme were stored at Nancekuke for many years to test its shelf life.
Production of nerve agents for use in research into defence against chemical weapons continued for many years until the site was closed after the 1976 Defence Review. The site was also used for production of other chemicals, including CS gas and insecticides during its operational life. The buildings and equipment were decontaminated and buried in five dumps on the site and stocks of chemicals were either destroyed or transferred to Porton Down. The site was handed back to the RAF in 1980 and re-opened as RAF Portreath.
The work undertaken at Nancekuke was kept totally secret until 1968. Then some limited information was made public as it leaked in the press. Fuller disclosure of Nancekuke's work waited until government documents were gradually released under the 'thirty year rule'. As more information was published, local people were worried that the work previously undertaken at Nancekuke and the disposal of materials when it closed could have adverse effects on the local environment. The RAF started to investigate the possible environmental impact of CDE Nancekuke's activities and disposal of plant and equipment after its closure. A remediation project was launched in 2001.