Construction of a chemical munitions disposal plant at the Blue Grass Army Depot in Madison County is 90 percent complete.
The depot houses hundreds of aging chemical weapons.
Project Manager Jeff Brubaker said he expects about 700 staff will be hired during 2016. The workers will be required to undergo intensive training.
“Some 800 to perhaps in some cases over a thousand hours of training and working at controls and with particular types of equipment or systems," Brubaker said. "So, it's an extensive process of training and certification."
Disposal operations are scheduled to being in 2018.
Discussions are also underway regarding proposed changes in the process of disposing chemical weapons at the depot.
A contractor has suggested the elimination of a rinsing technique to reduce the chance of the processed nerve agent congealing.
Brubaker said rusty pipes are another concern.
"Water has been shown to react with GB agent and result in a very acidic material which could be corrosive to the internal piping systems," Brubaker said.