O-139 MSIAC Contributions to Munitions Safety, Environmental Response and Design for Safety, Disposal and Demilitarization

This paper, an accompanying MSIAC poster, and the paper lecture/presentation will provide an overview and discussion of the NATO Munitions Safety Information Analysis Center (MSIAC); roles and responsibilities, foundation and history, staff and services, and technical support it provides member Nations and the overall NATO and associated communities to enhance munitions safety throughout the life cycle.  The paper and lecture will specifically address continuing contributions to munitions safety, the expanding arenas of munitions responses to environmental conditions and the response of the environment to the munitions, and will examine the policies and standards (existing or needed) to address design for safety, disposal, and demilitarization.  The paper and lecture will present scenarios and propose ways-ahead where scientific and technological research and development, engineering designs and actions, or policy improvements and standardizations can significantly contribute to improvements in nations and coalitions munitions stockpile safety and logistics throughout the overall concept to design to production to use to disposal/demil life cycle of the munitions. 
The environmental impact of ordnance, munitions, and explosives is one aspect of a complex relationship between the requirements which determine the safety and suitability for service (S3) use over the lifecycle of the munitions.  Environmental disposal considerations are but a part of the wider environmental impact, which must be assessed relative to other requirements alluded to above.  The paper and lecture will describe the need for a methodology to balance requirements placing them in context, discuss priorities as dictated by national and international policy and statutory requirements, and present a discussion of risks, trade-offs, regulations, and evolving policies.