Munitions Debris in Landfill Causes Concern

Bellows Air Force Station, O'hau Hawaii An area formally known as "pier dump", now "Landfill 24" being cleanup up under a $2M congressional earmark has run into public perception issues related to munitions. The landfill cleanup project, which involves the removal of an estimated 8,500 tons of cultural debris, is half complete. Prior to the congressional earmark, the military was seeking DERP funds under the IRP to address the site. However, the conditions of the site were found not to pose an unacceptable risk to human health or the environment and as such, the site was found not eligible for DERP funding under the IRP. The site was not eligible for MMRP funding under DERP as munitions were not known or suspected at the site. Despite these findings, with the help of U.S. Representative Mazie Hirono (D-Hawai'i), the $2M earmark was granted by Congress to cleanup the site anyway.

In the process of executing the cleanup under the earmark, crews came across six WWII era torpedoes as well as other munitions-related shell casings. EOD was called to inspect and identify the munitions. The munitions were identified as inert dummy rounds or munitions debris with no explosive or energetic material or filler. Despite this finding, several stakeholders and environmental groups have expressed concerns over the true potential for munitions at the site. The lack of records of what was dumped at the site from 1942 to 945 did not help to alleviate those concerns.

Although the munitions debris finds have caused concerns amongst the stakeholders and certain members of the public, the munitions debris discovered do not pose an explosive safety risk. The munitions debris will be properly demilitarized and recycled under the cleanup effort.