Prior Ordnance Disposal Practices

This chapter is very important for state and federal regulators, residents, and stakeholders. One cannot rid an area of munitions unless they can be found. They will not be found unless the high probability areas are searched. Herein are the essential practices that formerly existed. Many standard operating procedures are described in military manuals. 

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Part I of this book presents basic principles in the cleaning up old munitions sites, limitations and expertise in ranediating munitions sites, the extent of the munitions problem, a general primer on explosive ordnance and chemical warfare material, prior ordnance disposal practices, ordnance detection, and excavation and removal of ordnance. 

Disposed (known areas of disposal, e.g., disposal site) Prior to the Vietnam conflict, disposal of ordnance by burial was a common and acceptable disposal practice. Records of these areas are incomplete. Past disposal areas may not now be recognizable as such. In some cases, disposal areas have been discovered in lands accessible to the general population. As with the unknown discharge areas, the explosive potential represents an acute threat to human health and environment. Means to locate buried ordnance disposal sites are required. 

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