Global Elimination: The End of Chemical Weapons

The United States has become the last of eight countries to destroy its declared stockpile of chemical weapons, marking the elimination of 100% of the world's declared chemical weapons. The Chemical Weapons Convention, an international treaty signed by nearly 200 nations, bans the possession, production, and use of chemical weapons on the battlefield. The U.S. had over 30,000 tons of chemical weapons, but the disposal process was complicated due to the weapons' design and fragility, as well as underfunding and poor management. While isolated cases of chemical weapon use still occur, the overall disposal of vast quantities of chemical weapons worldwide is seen as a significant achievement for global security.