Experimental laboratory

DHS, Army Open Chemical Security Laboratory at Aberdeen Proving Ground

The Department of Homeland Security has partnered with the U.S. Army to open a chemical security laboratory in Maryland.

Located at Aberdeen Proving Ground, the CSL will serve as an experimental site where experts can validate scientific data and produce new findings, DHS’ Science and Technology Directorate said Wednesday.

The effort is a collaboration between S&T’s Chemical Security Analysis Center and the U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command‘s Chemical Biological Center.

CSAC Director Shannon Fox said that the shared space will have unique tools for studying chemical threats of interest to the homeland security community. “It is a vital capability not found at any of our sister laboratories,” Fox added.

According to S&T, emergency planners and responders need to have access to chemical threat and hazard information on short notice.

The CSL will enable help enhance CSAC’s risk management models and feed data to current S&T projects, including the characterization of chemical threats.

Frederick Cox, DEVCOM CBC director for research and technology, added that the facility will house DHS and Army experts in chemical hazard detection, characterization and analysis.

The Army is expected to contribute in areas such as chemical defense, chemical threat agents and toxic industrial chemicals. S&T said that the new facility will also improve Aberdeen Proving Ground’s overall capability as a laboratory.