US Army Plans to Design Biodegradable Bullets

To combat the damage done by spent ammunition used by the US Army in training facilities all over the world, an official request has been submitted calling for designs for biodegradable composites with embedded seeds for training ammunition. 

Bullets not only have the ability to kill people, but the metallic compounds in them are capable of killing off plants and wildlife. The hope is not only that biodegradable bullets would alleviate the environmental impact, but “they are hoping that the bullets will contain seeds, specialized for each local environment, so that they will ultimately ‘grow environmentally beneficial plants that eliminate ammunition debris and contaminants,'” according to IFLScience.com. 

According to the official request, this type of “shell” has already been tested by the US Army Corps of Engineers’ Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory, “now they just need to be made into bulets that can be fired from a real weapon.

Proposals are being considered through February 8, 2017.

From SBIR.gov: Currently the US Army manufactures and consumes hundreds of thousands of training rounds. These rounds are fired at proving grounds and training ranges in the United States and around the world. In addition, special forces conduct day and night training exercises utilizing these training rounds.