US military pushes for ammo innovation, seeks bullets that could turn into plants

The U.S. Army wants to have environmentally friendly ammunitions that could eventually turn into plants.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has forwarded a request to create this biodegradable ammunitions to be used for training. The DoD wants these ammunitions to be loaded by specialized seeds that will eventually grow as environmentally beneficial plants to eliminate or reduce the pollution brought about by ammunition debris and contaminants, Fox News reported.

The request specifies that animals should be able to consume the plants growing out of those seeds without any ill effects. Aside from that, the military also pointed out some materials that could be used to form the ammunition. According to the request, they would also like to see projectile cartridges made out of biodegradable plastics citing a research paper that used such material with reinforced bamboo fibers.

According to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, having these seeds won't be a problem. In fact, they have already bioengineered some that will not germinate for several months. This allows time for the materials containing the seeds to sufficiently biodegrade.

Among the ammunitions that are requested to be replaced with biodegradable alternatives are: 155mm artillery rounds, 120mm tank rounds, 120mm, 81mm, 60mm mortars and 40mm low-velocity grenades. They are also seeking cartridges cases and sabot petals which are often buried on the ground to be replaced.

Do note that the proposed biodegradable ammunitions are not meant to be used in combat but rather on training ranges in the United States and friendly countries such as Italy, Japan, and Germany, Popular Mechanics reported.  

Debris from propellant, tank shells, and carbine bullets releases chemicals to the environment that could gradually build up to create potential hazards. Most of these are left unrecovered especially the ones that typically fly distances beyond the target or those that goes buried under the soil.