Scientists have assessed the overall impact of grenades and concluded that even during peacetime, stockpiling these munitions can cause significant environmental damage.

Elisabeth Hochschorner and colleagues from the Royal Institute of Technology in Stockholm showed that during peacetime, the mining of metals used in grenade construction and the energy costs needed to produce them cause significant environmental impact. The residues emitted during practice detonations also top the list of harmful effects.

In a wartime situation, mining the copper used to make the grenades damages the earth even more than harmful residues from explosions because the exploded copper cannot be recycled as it is during peacetime decommissioning. The authors suggest that replacing plastic for copper could make grenades greener.

The Swedish study used a method called 'life cycle assessment' (LCA) which has never been applied to munitions before (The Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology, DOI 10.1002/jctb.0274).

Dr Steven Young, President of GreenhouseGasMeasurement.com, said the defense industry, one of the biggest industrial sectors, has embraced LCA studies in the past and is "very well positioned" to make progress on environmental issues. It tends to make analytical decisions and has huge purchasing power, he adds.

Article: Hochschorner et al. "Environmental life cycle assessment of a pre-fragmented high explosive grenade." The Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology. (DOI: 10.1002/jctb.1446). Published Online: December 13, 2005.

About SCI
SCI is a unique international forum where science meets business on independent, impartial ground. Anyone can join, and the Society offers a chance to share information between sectors as diverse as food and agriculture, pharmaceuticals, biotechnology, environmental science and safety. As well as publishing new research and running events, SCI has a growing database of member specialists who can give background information on a wide range of scientific issues. Originally established in 1881, SCI is a registered charity with members in over 70 countries.

About The Journal of Chemical Technology and Biotechnology The Journal of the Chemical Technology and Biotechnology (JCTB) is an international peer-reviewed journal concerned with the application of scientific discoveries and advancements in chemical and biological technology that aim towards economically sustainable industrial production or are necessary for environmental protection. JCTB focuses on the interfaces between chemical technology and biotechnology, especially where these impact on health and safety and the environment.

JCTB is an SCI journal, published by John Wiley & Sons, on behalf of the Society of Chemical Industry, and is available in print and online via Wiley InterScience http://www.interscience.wiley.com For further information about the journal go to http://interscience.wiley.com/jctb

About John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Founded in 1807, John Wiley & Sons, Inc., provides must- have content and services to customers worldwide. Our core businesses include scientific, technical, and medical journals, encyclopedias, books, and online products and services; professional and consumer books and subscription services; and educational materials for undergraduate and graduate students and lifelong learners. Wiley has publishing, marketing, and distribution centers in the United States, Canada, Europe, Asia, and Australia. The company is listed on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbols JWa and JWb. Wiley's Internet site can be accessed at http://www.wiley.com.

Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.

• Biochemistry
• Chemistry
• Weapons Technology

• Sustainability
• Geochemistry
• Environmental Issues

• Mining
• Metallurgy
• Catapult
• Environmental engineering
• Environmental impact assessment
• Civil engineering