Ebook: Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons: Aspects, Problems and Solutions

This volume summarises the materials presented at the NATO Advanced Research Workshop on Sea-Dumped Chemical Munitions, held in Kaliningrad (Moscow Region), Russia, in January 1995. The conference was sponsored by the NATO Division of Scientific and Environmental Affairs in the framework of its outreach programme to develop co-operation between NATO member countries and the Cooperation Partner countries in the area of disarmament technologies. The problem of the ecological threat posed by chemical weapons (CW) dumped in the seas after the Second World War deserves considerable international attention: the amount of these weapons, many of them having been captured from the German Army, is assessed at more than three times as much as the total chemical arsenals reported by the United States and Russia. They were disposed of in the shallow depths of North European seas - areas of active fishing - in close proximity to densely populated coastlines, with no consideration of the long-term consequences. The highly toxic material have time and again showed up, for instance when retrieved occasionally in the fishing nets, attracting local media coverage only. Nevertheless, this issue has not yet been given adequate and comprehensive scientific analysis, the sea-disposed munitions are not covered by either the Chemical Weapons Convention or other arms control treaties. In fact, the problem has been neglected for a long time on the international level. Only recently were official data made available by the countries which admitted conducting dumping operations.

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The ecological threat posed by the more than 300,000 tonnes of chemical weapons dumped in the sea after the Second World War is one that demands the urgent attention of the international community. The amount dumped represents more than three times as much as the total reported chemical arsenals of the United States and Russia. The munitions were disposed of in the shallow depths of the Northern European seas - where fishing is actively pursued - in close proximity to densely populated coastlines, with no consideration for the long-term consequences. Despite its vital importance, the issue has never been adequately scientifically analyzed. Munitions dumped in the sea are not covered by the Chemical Weapons or other arms control treaties.
The NATO Advanced Science Institute held in Kaliningrad in January 1995, the proceedings of which are reported here, was the first attempt at a comprehensive coverage of the problem of chemical munitions dumped in the sea, due attention being paid to chemical, biological, technological and legal aspects.
Audience: While a few parts of the book are highly specialised, most of it will interest the general public as well as policy makers, journalists and engineers. This first publication devoted to the environmental problem at the European scale will be an eye opener for millions who never knew of the highly toxic dumps in their own back yard.

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The ecological threat posed by the more than 300,000 tonnes of chemical weapons dumped in the sea after the Second World War is one that demands the urgent attention of the international community. The amount dumped represents more than three times as much as the total reported chemical arsenals of the United States and Russia. The munitions were disposed of in the shallow depths of the Northern European seas - where fishing is actively pursued - in close proximity to densely populated coastlines, with no consideration for the long-term consequences. Despite its vital importance, the issue has never been adequately scientifically analyzed. Munitions dumped in the sea are not covered by the Chemical Weapons or other arms control treaties.
The NATO Advanced Science Institute held in Kaliningrad in January 1995, the proceedings of which are reported here, was the first attempt at a comprehensive coverage of the problem of chemical munitions dumped in the sea, due attention being paid to chemical, biological, technological and legal aspects.
Audience: While a few parts of the book are highly specialised, most of it will interest the general public as well as policy makers, journalists and engineers. This first publication devoted to the environmental problem at the European scale will be an eye opener for millions who never knew of the highly toxic dumps in their own back yard.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Welcoming Address....Pages 3-3
Front Matter....Pages 5-5
War Gases and Ammunition in the Polish Economic Zone of the Baltic Sea....Pages 9-15
Pre-Convention Liquidation of Soviet Chemical Weapons....Pages 17-27
Chemical “Echo” of the Wars....Pages 29-33
Special Study on the Sea Disposal of Chemical Munitions by the United States....Pages 35-40
Investigation of a Dumping Area in the Skagerrak 1992....Pages 41-48
Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons and the Chemical Weapons Convention....Pages 49-66
How to Save the Baltics from Ecological Disaster....Pages 67-70
Unexploded Ordnance Devices: Detection, Recovery and Disposal....Pages 73-86
The Technological Problems with Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons from the Standpoint of Defence Conversion Industries....Pages 87-91
Technological Questions of Safe Elimination of CW Dumps on the Baltic Sea Bed....Pages 93-104
Application of Anti-Filtering Coatings for Localisation of Toxic Warfare Chemicals in the Baltic Sea Area....Pages 105-107
Chemical-Analytical Control of Environmental Pollution by Warfare Agents and their Degradation Products....Pages 109-118
Chemical Weapons on the Seabed....Pages 121-127
Reaction Products of Chemical Agents by Thermodynamic Calculations....Pages 129-143
Bacterial Biodegradation of Nitrate Ester Explosives....Pages 145-156
Chemical Weapons Dumping and White Sea Contamination....Pages 157-166
Back Matter....Pages 167-170

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The ecological threat posed by the more than 300,000 tonnes of chemical weapons dumped in the sea after the Second World War is one that demands the urgent attention of the international community. The amount dumped represents more than three times as much as the total reported chemical arsenals of the United States and Russia. The munitions were disposed of in the shallow depths of the Northern European seas - where fishing is actively pursued - in close proximity to densely populated coastlines, with no consideration for the long-term consequences. Despite its vital importance, the issue has never been adequately scientifically analyzed. Munitions dumped in the sea are not covered by the Chemical Weapons or other arms control treaties.
The NATO Advanced Science Institute held in Kaliningrad in January 1995, the proceedings of which are reported here, was the first attempt at a comprehensive coverage of the problem of chemical munitions dumped in the sea, due attention being paid to chemical, biological, technological and legal aspects.
Audience: While a few parts of the book are highly specialised, most of it will interest the general public as well as policy makers, journalists and engineers. This first publication devoted to the environmental problem at the European scale will be an eye opener for millions who never knew of the highly toxic dumps in their own back yard.
Content:
Front Matter....Pages i-xii
Front Matter....Pages 1-1
Welcoming Address....Pages 3-3
Front Matter....Pages 5-5
War Gases and Ammunition in the Polish Economic Zone of the Baltic Sea....Pages 9-15
Pre-Convention Liquidation of Soviet Chemical Weapons....Pages 17-27
Chemical “Echo” of the Wars....Pages 29-33
Special Study on the Sea Disposal of Chemical Munitions by the United States....Pages 35-40
Investigation of a Dumping Area in the Skagerrak 1992....Pages 41-48
Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons and the Chemical Weapons Convention....Pages 49-66
How to Save the Baltics from Ecological Disaster....Pages 67-70
Unexploded Ordnance Devices: Detection, Recovery and Disposal....Pages 73-86
The Technological Problems with Sea-Dumped Chemical Weapons from the Standpoint of Defence Conversion Industries....Pages 87-91
Technological Questions of Safe Elimination of CW Dumps on the Baltic Sea Bed....Pages 93-104
Application of Anti-Filtering Coatings for Localisation of Toxic Warfare Chemicals in the Baltic Sea Area....Pages 105-107
Chemical-Analytical Control of Environmental Pollution by Warfare Agents and their Degradation Products....Pages 109-118
Chemical Weapons on the Seabed....Pages 121-127
Reaction Products of Chemical Agents by Thermodynamic Calculations....Pages 129-143
Bacterial Biodegradation of Nitrate Ester Explosives....Pages 145-156
Chemical Weapons Dumping and White Sea Contamination....Pages 157-166
Back Matter....Pages 167-170
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