The Big Baltic Bomb Cleanup

The Baltic has seen some incredible amounts of abuse over the years. It doesn't stop at the massive amounts of conventional munitions like bombs and naval mines, nor even at the chemical weapons. The Swedish nuclear weapons program dumped several hundred barrels of intermediate-level radioactive waste in the Baltic during the 50's and 60's.

Then there's the environmental problems, where the Baltic has it all, really. There are severe eutrophication and oxygen depletion issues, but of course it doesn't end there. It's just severely polluted with everything from heavy metals like mercury and cadmium to persistent organic pollutants like polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB's), various other dioxins and dioxin-likes, DDT... the list goes on. The Swedish food agency recommends that children, adolescents, women who breastfeed or are or intend to become pregnant should not eat fish from the Baltic more than twice a year.

My father was involved in this, he didn’t have a choice and it was dangerous work as even then most of the munitions were unstable. Shells etc sweated tnt which got absorbed into their skin. He hated it. They also had to contend with the rolling North Sea whilst dumping live ammunition overboard.

I do wonder if a true cleanup is ever possible, worldwide. Think about all the land mines and tiny cluster munitions spread out all over. I feel sad for all the children who will be maimed or killed by these irresponsible and unethical weapons. But I don’t have much hope for being able to comprehensively clear the land of these things.

> The bright-yellow robot is the Norppa 300

norppa is the Suomi word for a seal, for anyone curious

I hope it works. This problem is all over the place.

Close to London lies the Richard Montgomery: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Richard_Montgomery

One ship with 1400 tonnes of TNT still in it rusting away.

This solution might not be completely automated, but it’s an interesting step in the right direction.

Are this photos AI generated?, because they definitely look like that

I kind of like the idea that it might blow up some bottom-trawling fishing gear. But I suppose it doesn't work that way.

The robot can search and survey, and handle smallish munition. The rest is up to human divers. Those are some brave sons of bitches.

I am happy they are getting bombs, munitions, and explosives up. But it is a bit of a disappointment that The most dangerous items, most likely to cause the most harm.... Will be left on the seafloor since they are too dangerous to handle¹. ... which.... then means these chemical weapon bombs will pop now and then and enormous damage will be a likely consequence.

I have no idea if anyone has attempted it but there have been a fear that terrorist groups could go shopping among the smorgasbord of deadly shit as a shortcut to acquire potent weapons.

"" > . Chemical weapons, which contain phosgene, arsenic, and sulfur mustard (also known as mustard gas) are too lethal to handle, probably ever, admits Guldin. “You can’t see these gases or smell them,” he says, “and their detonation could blow a ship out of the water, killing a ship’s entire crew in a matter of minutes.” Those weapons will be left untouched. ""