§6701 Definitions

Summary

Defines important words used in the chapter about chemical weapons. It explains what counts as a chemical weapon, what chemicals and lists are covered, and which organizations and places the rules apply to. Chemical weapon — covers toxic chemicals and their precursors unless they are used for an allowed purpose in a type and amount that fits that purpose; it also covers munitions or devices made to spread such chemicals and equipment made to use those munitions. Chemical Weapons Convention (the Convention) — the treaty opened for signature on January 13, 1993. Key component of a binary or multicomponent system — the precursor that mostly decides how toxic the final product is and that reacts quickly. National of the United States — defined the same way as in section 1101(a)(22) of title 8. Organization — the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. Person — any individual or many kinds of organizations, governments, political units, or other entities located in the United States. Precursor — any chemical used at any step to make a toxic chemical; key components are included and those precursors for verification are listed in schedules in the Convention Annex. Purposes not prohibited — four kinds: peaceful (industry, farming, research, medical, pharmaceutical), protective (defending against toxic chemicals), unrelated U.S. military uses that do not rely on toxicity, and law enforcement (including riot control and capital punishment). Technical Secretariat — the OPCW’s Technical Secretariat. Schedule 1, 2, and 3 chemical agents — specific groups of chemicals listed in the Convention Annex (Schedule 1 names the most dangerous agents, with examples such as Sarin, VX, sulfur mustards, ricin). Toxic chemical — any chemical that can kill, temporarily disable, or permanently harm people or animals; those covered for verification are listed in the Convention Annex. United States — includes the 50 states, the District of Columbia, U.S. commonwealths, territories, possessions, and places under U.S. control, including locations in paragraph (41) of section 40102 of title 49, U.S. civil or public aircraft as defined in that title, and vessels defined in section 70502(b) of title 46. Unscheduled discrete organic chemical — any carbon-based compound not on the Convention schedules, except for carbon oxides, sulfides, and metal carbonates.