Time's A-Tickin': WWII Munitions in the North and Baltic Seas Pose a Dangerous Threat
Military equipment, once used in conflicts, deteriorating in the northern and Baltic waterways.
Experts across the globe are sounding the alarm: time is running out to tackle the hazardous mess of conventional military ammunition hidden at the bottom of the North and Baltic Seas. The German government realizes the urgency and is stepping up, providing the necessary funds for cleanup efforts.
Imagine a train stretching from Paris to Moscow - that's roughly the size of the World War II munitions problem in the German areas of the North and Baltic Sea coasts. Katja Matthes, director of the Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research (GEOMAR), made this comparison ahead of a conference in Kiel attended by 200 experts to discuss marine pollution removal.
The ammunition casings are deteriorating, releasing harmful substances that are carcinogenic and can damage DNA. These hazardous substances are unfortunately detected in almost all water samples, including TNT and others. Around 3,000 kilograms of toxic chemicals have already been released in the southwestern Baltic Sea alone.
According to Jennifer Strehse, an expert from the Institute of Toxicology and Pharmacology in Kiel, there's currently no risk to human health from eating contaminated fish. However, if you were to eat a contaminated fish everyday for the rest of your life, well, the expert's assessment is still the same - no health-threatening levels for humans have been reached yet, but predicting when this might happen is tricky.
The entire German area of the Baltic Sea should be considered contaminated with munitions, said GEOMAR geologist Jens Greinert. Hotspots are areas designated by the Allies after the war for the dumping of grenades, torpedoes, bombs, mines, and cartridges. Greinert and his team frequently examine the so-called Kolberger Heide, a dumping ground near Kiel and just a few kilometers from the shore where the ammunition is lying like Swiss cheese, with new holes appearing with each inspection.
International cooperation is essential in this mission, with the German government providing 100 million euros for the immediate removal program. The new German government must tackle this WWII munitions issue "with more oomph," as Schleswig-Holstein’s Green Minister for the Environment, Tobias Goldschmidt, advised, since it poses a significant threat to become one of the largest pollution sources in our seas.
The Kiel Ammunition Clearance Week conference will gather over 250 experts from 16 countries to explore various solutions for removing underwater munitions while safeguarding critical infrastructure. Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, is a leading region in these efforts, advocating for federal participation and recognition of the problem’s urgency.
Pilot recovery projects employing advanced technologies have been implemented, and researchers continue to improve understanding of munitions dumping sites' locations, quantities, and types. However, concerns about environmental impact, operational hazards, and leakage of highly toxic chemical warfare agents like mustard gas remain significant, calling for cautious, well-monitored, and scientifically informed approaches moving forward. International organizations such as the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) are being called upon to oversee and guide underwater chemical munitions disposal efforts.
This extensive and persistent environmental and safety challenge calls for multidisciplinary international cooperation, technological innovations, historical site mapping, rigorous environmental and safety protocols, and a sustained political will to tackle this lingering threat from WWII.
- The urgent matter of World War II munitions in the North and Baltic Seas, a danger to marine life and humans alike, has gained global attention, with experts in environmental-science emphasizing the need for immediate action.
- Meanwhile, the science community also recognizes the implications of climate-change and its impact on munitions cleanup efforts, as warmer ocean temperatures could accelerate the release of toxic substances like TNT.
- Political leaders and policy-makers are urged to implement strong legislation to address this issue, ensuring they prioritize both general-news and scientific findings about the long-term effects of these munitions on human health and the environment.
- The environmental consequences of war-and-conflicts continue to be felt decades later, as demonstrated by the WWII munitions issue in the North and Baltic Seas, underlining the importance of adopting policies that address the environmental footprint of past and future conflicts.
