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Miltary Waste

Michael Forlini | Aug 6, 2008

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Historically, millions of acres of former munitions ranges were established throughout the country. These properties are referred to as formerly used defense sites (FUDS). The Department of Defense (DoD) is currently working to further define the inventory of sites and acreage that are potentially contaminated with military munitions and to prioritize these sites for cleanup.

Environmental regulators overseeing response actions dealing with military munitions have an independent authority and/or responsibility to evaluate the public safety and environmental aspects of these response actions. While some of the sites are fairly small, others may cover dozens or even hundreds of square miles in area.

Military ranges or other sites contaminated with military munitions may potentially have soil, ground water and surface water contamination from munitions residues (including explosives and heavy metals, and at a small number of sites, chemical warfare agents or depleted uranium). These residues may derive from partially detonated and decomposing ordnance and explosives from training activities, flares, smoke grenades, open burning and open detonation disposal activities, munitions burial sites, weapons testing and other military activities. Of course, the potential for premature detonation of the munitions is generally the principal concern during initial response actions. Left to corrode, unexploded ordnance (UXO) can release toxic substances, including explosives and heavy metals, into the soil and groundwater. Although, EPA has used the Superfund’s removal program to remove this potential imminent hazard, regulations that clarify when conventional and chemical military munitions become a hazardous waste under the Resource Conservation and Recovery Act (RCRA) have been promulgated.

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