suspended processing of munitions until investigation of the incident was satisfactorily completed. The U.S. National Research Council's Committee on Evaluation of Chemical Events at Army Chemical Agent Disposal Facilities was provided, by the Army, with a list of 39 incidents that occurred at JACADS from its opening until its closure. Of those 39 events, 24 were classified as chemical in nature. For example, five days after the last chemical weapons were destroyed at JACADS, VX was detected in ash from the incinerator. The committee's evaluation of JACADS incidents was published in 2002. Response and reaction The 1990 shipments of nerve agents from West Germany to JACADS caused several South Pacific nations to express unease. At the 1990 South Pacific Forum in Vanuatu, the island nations of the South Pacific indicated that their concern was that the South Pacific would become a toxic waste dumping ground. Other concerns raised included the security of the shipments, which were refueled at sea and escorted by U.S. guided missile destroyers, while they were en route to Johnston Atoll. In Australia, Prime Minister Bob Hawke drew criticism from some of these island nations for his support of the chemical weapons destruction at Johnston Atoll. See also Operation Steel Box U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency References Further reading McCloskey, Gary. "Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System Mines Its Business", Army Chemical Review, August 2001, via FindArticles.com, accessed October 25, 2008. Schreiber, E. A., Doherty, Jr., Paul F. and Schenk, Gary A. "Effects of a Chemical Weapons Incineration Plant on Red-Tailed Tropicbirds", (JSTOR), The Journal of Wildlife Management, Vol. 65, No. 4 October 2001, pp. 685–695 U.S. National Research Council: Committee on Review and Evaluation of the Army Chemical Stockpile Disposal Program, Closure and Johnston Atoll Chemical Agent Disposal System, (Google Books), National Academies Press, 2002, (). External links Chemical Weapons Disposal Dispute", T.E.D. Case Study, "The Mandala Project", American University'', May 1997, accessed October 25, 2008. "Johnston Island", U.S. Army Chemical Materials Agency, official site, accessed October 25, 2008. Cleanup of Johnston Atoll Missile Launch Facility, DOD FOIA declassified document. 24Mb. United States chemical weapons depots Johnston Atoll Chemical weapons destruction facilities 2000 disestablishments in the United States 1990 establishments in the United States Buildings and structures completed in 1990 1990 establishments in Oceania 2000 disestablishments in Oceania