MUNITIONS POLLUTION PREVENTION

[Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>]

From: Lenny Siegel <lsiegel@igc.org>

MUNITIONS RANGE POLLUTION PREVENTION
While the Department of Defense is generally considered a leader in 
industrial pollution prevention, it appears to have spent less effort 
minimizing the environmental impact of munitions proving and training. 
In conjunction with its Range Rule deliberations, however, it has 
issued a fact sheet on the subject: "Reducing Enviromental Impacts: 
Technology, Substitute Materials Developed for Active Ranges."
The increasing pressure to remediate former ranges has forced the 
military both to initiate new pollution prevention strategies at active 
ranges and to document activities already underway. The fact sheet 
lists the following:
1. The Army Armament Research and Development Center is testing 
lead-free ammunition. "Lead-free training ammunition is already 
available for the M16 rifle and the .50 caliber machine gun."
2. The armed services are using weapons simulators in training.
3.The Army Environmental Center is evaluating various forms of bullet 
traps - rubber, water, metal deflector - for small arms ranges.
In addition, "the Army Defense Ammunition Center and School is 
developing new ways to remove and recyle materials used in munitions." 
These include projects to process white phosphorous and to convert 
military explosives into commerical blasting agent.
These projects deserve support, but I have yet to see any 
cradle-to-grave analysis of domestic munitions use that might lead to a 
comprehensive pollution prevention strategy - an approach that the 
military is using for its industrial operations.