The U.S. Army wants to have environment-friendly ammunitions using recycled materials that could eventually turn into plants. The Department of Defense (DoD) has filed the request to create this biodegradable ammunitions that will be used for military exercises.
The department wants these ammunitions to be loaded by specialized seeds that will eventually grow as environmentally beneficial plants to eliminate or reduce the pollution brought about by ammunition debris and contaminants, Fox News reported. The request specifies that the plants growing out of those seeds should be suitable for animal consumption without any ill-effects.
Aside from that, the military also requested that these ammunitions be made using recycled materials. Citing a research paper that used such material with reinforced bamboo fibers, the department said that they would also like to see projectile cartridges made out of biodegradable plastics.
Among the ammunitions that are requested to be replaced with biodegradable alternatives are: 155mm artillery rounds, 120mm tank rounds, 120mm, 81mm, 60mm mortars and 40mm low-velocity grenades. They are also seeking cartridges cases and sabot petals which are often buried on the ground to be replaced.
U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory said that there won't be a problem in granting these requests. In fact, they have already bioengineered some that will not germinate for several months. This allows time for the materials containing the seeds to sufficiently biodegrade.
Do note that the proposed biodegradable ammunitions are not meant to be used in combat but rather on training ranges in United States and friendly countries such as Italy, Japan and Germany, Popular Mechanics reported.
Debris from propellant, tank shells and carbine bullets releases chemicals to the environment that could gradually build up to create potential hazards. Most of these are left unrecovered specially the ones that typically fly distances beyond the target or those that goes buried under the soil.
Learn more about the project in the clip below: