Title: Introduction Text: The objective of this tool is to help Remedial Project Managers (RPMs) evaluate munitions and explosives of concern (MEC) removal technologies proposed by their contractors, regulators, and stakeholders. MEC removal projects typically consist of the following tasks: (1) detection; (2) excavation, identification, and removal; and (3) final treatment or disposal. The first step is the subject of the MRP Detection T2 Tool. This tool discusses the latter half of the process: excavation, identification, removal, and final disposition of MEC. The RPM will need to consider which removal technologies can best achieve the cleanup objectives in a cost-effective manner and are most readily implemented. The removal technologies must also be evaluated with respect to the explosive safety hazards they potentially present to essential and non-essential personnel during project execution. Visual Description: Photo of a 40 mm anti-aircraft projectile on the ground surface.

Title: Munitions and Explosives of Concern (MEC) Text: MEC are military munitions that may pose an explosive safety hazard. MEC consist of unexploded ordnance(UXO), discarded military munitions (DMM), and munition constituents (MC) present in high enough concentrations to pose an explosive hazard (the explosive threshold for MC is 10% or more by weight of secondary explosives such as TNT or RDX, or 2% or more of primary explosives, such as lead styphnate).

Title: Unexploded Ordinance Text: Military munitions that (a) have been primed, fused, armed, or otherwise prepared for action; (b) have been fired, dropped, launched, projected, or placed in such a manner as to constitute a hazard to operations, installations, personnel, or materiel; and (c) remain unexploded either by malfunction, design, or any other cause.

Title: Discarded Military Munitions Text: Military munitions that have been abandoned without proper disposal or removed from storage in a military magazine or other storage area for the purpose of disposal. DMM does not include unexploded ordnance, military munitions that are being held for future use or planned disposal, or military munitions that have been properly disposed of consistent with applicable environmental laws and regulations.

Title: Munitions Constituents Text: Any materials originating from UXO, DMM, or other military munitions, including explosives and non-explosive materials, and emission, degradation, or breakdown elements of such ordnance or munitions.

Title: Explosives Safety Submission (ESS) Text: A site-specific ESS is the document that describes the required safety specifications to be used for each project and is required for the execution of all response actions involving MEC. The ESS must be approved by the Naval Ordnance Safety and Security Activity (NOSSA) and the Department of Defense Explosives Safety Board (DDESB) in order to make intentional physical contact with MEC. With NOSSA and DDESB approval of the ESS, MEC may be collected and removed by EOD personnel or UXO technicians. The handling, including movement, storage, and transportation of MEC, must follow governing Navy, DoD, and applicable Federal regulations.

Title: Safety Rules for MEC Removal Text: The explosives safety rule for MEC removal - or for handling any explosives - is to expose the fewest number of persons to the smallest amount of explosives for the shortest period of time. Explosive hazards are minimized by maintaining minimum separation distances and by employing engineering controls. Explosive safety quantity distance (ESQD) arcs, including exclusion zones (EZs), are used to keep non-essential personnel out of harms way and are calculated during ESS preparation. They are established based on the munition with the greatest fragmentation distance (MGFD) which is chosen from among the MEC expected to be encountered. Engineering controls (e.g., shields, barricades, berms, and trenches) are often used to protect essential and non-essential personnel during cleanup operations. Visual Description: Map showing radius of hazardous fragment distance.

Title: Essential Personnel Text: Essential personnel are those persons (e.g., equipment operators and UXO technicians) whose duties require them to remain within an ESQD arc to ensure the safe and efficient completion of the munitions response action.

Title: Non-essential Personnel Text: Non-essential personnel are those individuals whose duties do not require them to remain within the ESQD arc during munitions response activities (e.g., project administrative personnel, persons collecting environmental samples, trespassers).

Title: Explosive Safety Quantity Distance Arc Text: An ESQD arc is the prescribed minimum distance between sites storing or handling hazard Class I explosive materials and specified exposures (e.g., inhabited buildings, public highways, public railways, other storage or handling facilities, ships, aircraft) to afford an acceptable degree of protection and safety to the specified exposure. The size of the ESQD arc is proportional to the Net Explosive Weight (NEW) present (NOSSAINST 8020.15B).

Title: Exclusion Zone Text: An exclusion zone (EZ) is an ESQD arc established around a munitions response work area where MEC procedures are being conducted. An EZ is created by a response operation that may move within defined boundaries, can be suspended, and will be cancelled upon project completion (NOSSAINST 8020.15A).

Title: Net Explosive Weight Text: The NEW is the actual weight of the explosive mixture or compound including TNT equivalent of other energetic material which is used to determine explosive limits and ESQD arcs.

Title: MEC Removal Text: Two principle categories of MEC removal technologies exist: manual and mechanized. To determine which method is appropriate, one must compare costs, hazards, and feasibility against those of other MEC removal operations. In addition, this tool also addresses remotely-controlled removal of MEC, underwater removal, and explosive soil removal. For each removal technology, the favorable conditions, methodology, and appropriate safety measures will be described. Visual Description: Photo showing tractor digging for MEC removal.

Title: Manual MEC Removal (1 of 3) Text: Manual MEC removal is the preferred approach when: MEC are judged to be relatively close to the surface Soil is easy to dig and common hand tools can be used to reach MEC There is low metallic clutter so MEC are detected as discrete anomalies (e.g., in areas adjacent to flight lines, weapons storage areas, and away from targets on artillery/mortar ranges and bombing/gunnery ranges). Visual Description: Photo showing manual digging to remove MEC.

Title: Manual MEC Removal (2 of 3) Text: In manual removal operations, the anomaly is accessed using hand tools (e.g., shovels, trowels) by digging vertically beside the anomaly and then digging horizontally until the MEC is encountered. This prevents the application of direct forces on the MEC because only controlled, low-energy forces to soils around the MEC are applied. Heavy equipment can be used to assist with a manual operation when the ground is too hard or too deep for a technician and their shovel. In these cases the heavy equipment may dig beside the anomaly, dig incrementally over the anomaly (within 1 ft), or assist in lifting large items. This heavy equipment is specially outfitted for MEC removal operations and includes protection for the operator. Visual Description: Photo showing tractor digging for MEC removal.

Title: Manual MEC Removal (3 of 3) Text: During most manual removal operations, essential personnel are not required to be protected from hazardous fragments, but must be protected from blast overpressure should the MEC inadvertently detonate. In this scenario, the overpressure distance is calculated by the formula D=40W^1/3 where D is the distance in feet and W is the weight of the explosive material in pounds. Non-essential personnel must be protected from blast overpressure effects (D=40W^1/3) and controls can be used to reduce the hazard fragment distance (HFD). One example of an engineering control is the miniature open-front barricade (MOFB) shown on the left. Visual Description: Diagram of miniature open-front barricade.

Title: Miniature Open-front Barricade Text: The MOFB was designed by the US Army Corps of Engineers to protect non-essential personnel, inhabited buildings, and other critical resources from hazardous fragments when UXO technicians are manually removing MEC. The basic MOFB can contain the fragments from the detonation of up to an 81-mm mortar.

Title: Mechanized MEC Removal (1 of 2) Text: Mechanized MEC removal is the preferred approach when: MEC are found in soil too deep or too hard for hand excavation MEC occur in clusters or masses The site is cluttered with metallic anomalous objects (e.g., bombing and gunnery range targets, burial pits, dredge spoil pipeline outfalls, landfills and scrap yards, or open burning (OB) and open detonation (OD) ranges). Mechanized technologies are most successful in environmentally resilient areas with slopes of less than 20%, minimal vegetation, and non-cohesive soils. The types of equipment commonly used in mechanized removal include: Earth movers/scrapers Front-end loaders/excavators Armored bulldozers Power screening equipment Visual Description: Photo of a mechanized earth mover.

Title: Open Burning Text: An open-air combustion process by which munitions are destroyed to eliminated their inherent explosive hazards.

Title: Open Detonation Text: An open-air process used for the destruction of munitions whereby an explosive donor charge initiates the munitions being destroyed. Typically, OD operations occur on land surface or in pits with a soil covering used as an engineering control to reduce both the ESQD arc or EZ. This process is called tamping.

Title: Mechanized MEC Removal (2 of 2) Text: Because most mechanized removal operations apply indiscriminate, high-energy forces to soils and MEC, the chance for detonations is greater for these mechanized processes than for manual MEC removal operations. Safety requirements specify that for mechanized MEC processing technologies the minimum separation distance for essential personnel must be: At a separation distance of D-24W^1/3 for blast overpressure based on the MEC having the largest Net Explosive Weight (NEW), and Protected by shields or barricades against hazardous fragment from the MGFD. Non-essential personnel must be separated by the longest of: Maximum D=258W^1/3 for blast overpressure based on the MEC having the largest NEW; or The Maximum Fragment Range (MFR) of the MGFD. Visual Description: Photo showing protective barrier on earth mover.

Title: Remotely-Operated Removal Text: Remotely-operated removal technologies are employed where sufficient overpressure protection (D=24W^1/3) for essential personnel cannot be achieved. Removals using closed circuit television (CCTV) and remotely-operated equipment ensure safety because the operator is able to observe from a safe distance; however, because the equipment operator receives limited visual feedback these operations can be inefficient and expensive. Visual Description: Photo of mechanized MEC removal.

Title: Dredging MEC Removal (1 of 2) Text: Currently, the two primary technologies used for underwater removal of MEC are mechanical and hydraulic dredging. During mechanical dredging operations a bucket, clamshell, or backhoe scoops or grabs material from the bottom and places material into barges or scows for shipment to the placement site. Similarly, during hydraulic dredging operations, a cutter-head cuts the bottom sediment and pumps force the entrained material through pipelines. The entrained slurry material is either pumped directly into a hopper for later placement on land or pumped directly to a dredge spoils lay-down area. Visual Description: Photo close-up of cutterhead dredge.

Title: Dredging MEC Removal (2 of 2) Text: MEC--suspected and not--have been encountered at hundreds of operational dredging operations around the world. Sufficient forces are present in dredging equipment to cause MEC to detonate. In several dredging operations, the MEC detonated at the cutter-head or in the pump or pipeline. If an MEC fails to detonate, it can be inadvertently transported to the dredge spoils lay-down area. Unless the MEC are screened out at the cutter head, the dredge material must be raked or screened if MEC are suspected. Raking or screening of slurry to remove MEC is a technical challenge, and is best performed after the dredge spoils have been dewatered. Visual Description: Photo of dredge equipment and barge.

Title: Explosive Soil Removal (1 of 2) Text: Soil with munitions constituents (MC) present in high enough concentrations (generally 10% or more by weight) to pose an explosive hazard is considered “explosive soil” and must be managed as Class/Division 1.1 material. Explosive soil is most often encountered when remediating: Manufacturing plant settling ponds or lagoons Demilitarization facilities OB/OD units Class/Division 1.1 consists of ammunition and explosives that are considered mass-detonating. Visual Description: Photo of soil sampling at MRP site.

Title: Explosive Soil Removal (2 of 2) Text: Mechanized removal operations may require that explosive soil be desensitized by adding water or mineral oil. Explosive soil must be containerized for shipment, after first obtaining an interim hazard classification (IHC) and certificate of equivalency (COE). ESQD arcs required for explosive soil are calculated based on the maximum credible event (MCE). Minimum separation distance for non-essential personnel shall be the greater of: Inhabited building distance for overpressure Soil ejecta radii Soil containing MC in lower concentrations (less than 10% by weight of secondary explosives or 2% by weight of primary explosives) is managed as chemically contaminated soil.

Title: Maximum Credible Event Text: The MCE is calculated by multiplying the weight of the mixture by the concentration of explosives (e.g., 1,000 lb of soil containing 15% TNT has an MCE of 150 lb).

Title: MEC Identification Text: Every suspect MEC item encountered at a munitions response site must be inspected and assessed by military explosive ordnance disposal (EOD) personnel or contractor UXO technicians. Currently, unidentified MEC items are typically detonated in place; however, in populated areas or in close proximity to buildings, when visual determination of a munition item's contents is not possible, field instruments can be used to identify the filler and possibly avoid unnecessary detonations. Where technological means are used, the false-negative rate for filler identification is essentially zero. One field tool that is available for identifying the contents of munitions and chemical storage containers is the Idaho National Laboratory's Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS) system. Another is Western Kentucky University's Pulsed Elemental Analysis with Neutrons (PELAN). X-ray technology has also shown promise for filler characterization. Additionally, tools using acoustic techniques are under development. Visual Description: Photo of Portable Isotopic Neutron Spectroscopy (PINS) System

Title: MPPEH Management Text: Material Potentially Presenting an Explosive Hazard (MPPEH) includes any material potentially containing explosives or munitions (e.g., munitions containers and packaging; debris remaining after munitions use, demilitarization, or disposal; and range-related debris). MPPEH is categorized as either “material documented as safe (MDAS)" or “material documented as hazardous (MDAH)". MPPEH may be considered “MDAS” only after two 100% visual inspections by qualified and authorized personnel or by undergoing DoD Explosive Safety Board (DDESB)-approved processing followed by approved sampling. If MPPEH cannot be determined to be safe, it must be managed as “MDAH.” The majority of MPPEH is “MDAS” and is eventually recycled as scrap metal or other materials, land filled, or, for a small proportion, directly reused in its found state (e.g., ammunition cans). All munitions list items (MLIs) identified in 22 CFR part 121 have been assigned a demilitarization code which describes what, if any, restrictions or actual demilitarization requirements apply to each item. More discussion of MPPEH inspection, processing, and disposition is available in the MPPEH T2 Tool. Visual Description: Photo of MPPEH including old munition cartridges.

Title: MEC Disposition Text: Recovered MEC must be properly disposed of or treated by the safest means available. Several options for managing recovered MEC items exist. Inspected items that are determined to be: (1) Unsafe to move can be blown in place (BIP) by UXO or supporting EOD technicians. (2) Safe to move, but not safe to ship, may be consolidated and moved elsewhere on site for OB/OD by UXO or supporting EOD technicians. (3) Safe to transport can be shipped to a permitted (or interim status) off-site treatment facility once certified as safe to transport. Only EOD technicians determine a UXO item is safe to transport. Visual Description: Flow diagram for safe-to-ship decision-making.

Title: On-Site MEC Treatment (1 of 2) Text: MEC that are unsafe to move must be BIP, while MEC that are safe to move may be consolidated and destroyed on-site by either OB or OD. OD operations have substantial space requirements in order to maintain minimum safety distance requirements. In OB/OD operations, there is still the possibility that some MEC will not be destroyed, e.g., a kick-out, is the ejection of munitions, munitions debris, or explosives from an OB/OD process. Visual Description: Photo of in-place explosion at OB/OD operational site.

Title: On-Site MEC Treatment (2 of 2) Text: An emerging technology for on-site treatment of MEC is the transportable detonation chamber (TDC), formerly referred to as the contained detonation chamber. TDCs are scalable based on the MEC to be detonated. A TDC may be suitable for sites where minimum safety distance requirements for OB/OD cannot be obtained and the munitions items are safe to move. Although the TDC is very effective in the on-site treatment of MEC, it can be very expensive which may make it difficult to incorporate this technology into a MEC removal project. Visual Description: Video of transportable detonation chamber (TDC).

Title: Off-Site Treatment Text: If MEC are safe to move and cannot be treated on-site, then the MEC may be shipped off-site for OB/OD thermal treatment or chemical neutralization. However, in situ treatment of recovered MEC is the preferred option because transporting MEC exposes the public to potential hazards. If off-site transportation is necessary, the following must be obtained: (1) IHC available from NOSSA Code N82 (2) Safe-to-transport certification For UXO, this can only be obtained from military EOD For DMM and MC, this can be obtained from military EOD or a UXO contractor (3) COE obtained from the Naval Packaging, Handling, Storage and Transportation (PHST) Center. Visual Description: Photo of explosive warning sign.

Title: References and Guidance Text: NAVSEA OP 5, Ammunition and Explosives Safety Ashore, 15 Jan 2001 (Volume 1, 7th Revision; 1 July 07, change 6) NOSSAINST 8020.15B, Explosives Safety Review, Oversight, and Verification of Munitions Response, 26 Jan 09 Navy Environmental Restoration Program (NERP) Manual, Aug 2006 NAVFAC portal: NAVFAC Business Management System (BMS) forms for the Munitions Response Program ESTCP, ITRC & SERDP, Survey of Munitions Response Technologies, June 2006 Environmental Security Technology Certification Program (ESTCP) Military Munitions recovery and disposal completed and verified project reports: Low-Cost Hot Gas Decontamination of Explosives-Contaminated Firing Range Scrap (MM-0032) Low-Order, Underwater Detonation Study (MM-0104) Non-Thermal On-Site Decontamination and Destruction of Practice Bombs (MM-0211) Dredging Equipment Modifications for Detection and Removal of Ordnance (MM-0321) Decontamination of Test Range Metal Debris Using a Transportable Flashing Furnace (MM-0412) NOSSA secure Web site MR Work Group Web site MR Portal at ERT2.org ITRC UXO Team documents

Title: Contacts Text: For more information about MRP Removal, please contact: NOSSA Point of Contact (301) 744-4450 NAVFAC MRP Point of Contact (805) 982-1795 or NAVFAC ESC T2 Point of Contact PRTH_NFESCT2@navy.mil