CIAO DATE: 07/05

SALW Ammunition Destruction - Environmental Releases From Open Burning (OB) and Open Detonation (OD) Events

Abstract

Until the mid-1980s, almost all surplus and unserviceable munitions and propellants (energetic materials (EM)) were either dumped at sea or destroyed by open burning (OB) or detonation (OD). These disposal techniques were chosen because of their simplicity, low cost, effectiveness and safety. As our knowledge and understanding of the chemical and biological processes essential to the health and well-being of humans and ecosystems expanded, the perception arose that the dusty, brown plumes produced by OB and OD could endanger human health and the environment (HH&E).

As a result, a number of countries developed alternative technologies for disposing of energetic materials and either prohibited or severely restricted using OB and OD for routinely disposing of surplus energetic material. Although these alternative disposal methods are more protective to human health and the environment than OB and OD, they are considerably more expensive. The alternative methods also require more technical knowledge and skills and are more labour intensive than OB and OD. Plus, they really apply only to the carefully stored, well-inventoried stockpiles of un-degraded energetic material found mostly in the developed countries. With the exception of incineration and detonation in a vented chamber, these alternative technologies require removal of the EM from its casing before treatment. For incineration, prior disassembly of ammunition larger than 50 or 60 mm is still required. They also lack the universality and throughput advantages of OB and OD and produce their own set of potentially hazardous waste streams.

Full Text (PDF, 62 pages, 1.46 MB)