The Military Wants Biodegradable Ammo That Turns Into Plants

popularmechanics.com ^ | Jan 10, 2017 | Kyle Mizokami

[BenLurkin]

A solicitation on the Department of Defense's Small Business Innovation Research web site is looking for a smart company to develop biodegradable ammunition. The military would like to see projectile cartridges—which are rarely all cleaned up after a live-fire exercise—made out of biodegradable plastic. The military also references a research paper on the use of biodegradable plastics reinforced with bamboo fibers.

But the Pentagon isn't stopping there. It also wants spent ammunition and casings to contain bioengineered seeds that would, after several months, grow environmentally friendly plants that would remove soil contaminants. The proposal even specifies that animals "should be able to consume the plants without any ill effects".

It's important to note that this is not ammunition that would be used in combat, but rather on training ranges here in the United States and friendly countries such as Germany, Italy and Japan. Ammunition used in combat is too important to tinker with, but at friendly training ranges where ammunition is expended for years and even decades, the issue of pollutant contamination is a real one.

[Rebelbase]

For the want of dissolving ammo a battalion was lost.