US Army seeks to source biodegradable materials

The US Navy have invested in trialling bio-fuels to power its ships, the Air Force are developing similar for its planes, and now the Army is getting in on the act and seeking proposals for biodegradable ammunition. Currently the US Army manufactures and consumes hundreds of thousands of training rounds for use in proving grounds and firing ranges in the United States and around the world. The projectiles, and in some circumstances the cartridge cases, once fired are either left on the surface or several feet underground. The components of the current training rounds require hundreds of years or more to biodegrade. And some of these rounds might have the potential to corrode and pollute the soil and nearby water.  As a response the US Army are seeking to source naturally occurring biodegradable material to replace the current training round materials.