A Solution To The Landmine Problem

There are well over a million unexploded landmines around the world. Many of these devices outlast the conflicts they were intended for, only to later maim or kill innocent civilians. In many cases the locations of landmines are forgotten or lost, making the task of de-mining extremely difficult, dangerous and time-consuming. What is needed is a solution to this problem that protects innocent civilians and reduces the need for costly de-mining. It is a given that militaries will not likely voluntarily abolish the use of landmines, therefore any solution must take that into account. I propose a simple solution to the problem that meets all of the above criteria: Landmines should be manufactured with a built-in time-limited safety switch. After a certain amount of time, the mine simply will not explode anymore. The safety switch could be designed in a number of ways -- one embodiment would have it rust or dissolve over time by exposure to air and/or water. Another embodiment might base the switch on the decay of an isotope with a short half-life. Organic substances that are designed to degrade over time, perhaps by exposure to natural bacteria, could also be used. The time limit could be set to several years, or perhaps a decade, at most. Deactivated mines could be reactivead by simply replacing the switches. There are probably many other alternatives to accomplish the automatic time-limited self-deactivation of landmines. Getting landmine manufacturers to adopt such a technology is probably more achievable than getting them to stop making landmines altogether. This innovation could save a lot of lives and limbs.

Comments

[dan]

I read an article once about genetically engineering plants that change color according to varying levels of leaking explosives (even in trace amounts). A patch of these plants would have concentric rings of different colors surrounding the location of a mine. The seeds would have to be spread over an area suspected of having mines in it first, though - very impractical.
I like your idea much better.

[Runde]

Okay, this is a bit clanky, but I imagine a lot of countries don't want timed mines, very cost-ineffective in case a war lasts longer than planned (don't want to be cocky here, no countries mentioned) but, MAYBE, they DO want a possibility to turn them off. Either electronically, with a radio signal, or you could insert a particular chemical in the explosive, that would render the explosive ineffective if a particular bacteria or chemical came in touch with it. Gene-splicing bacteria to eat particular kinds of explosives ... but then countries would parmesan their own fields with all kinds of gmo'ed bacteria in the hope that one would be the correct kind that'd eat up the mines. Perhaps. Except that ... that would be like throwing darts out the window hoping to hit a particular ant.

Anyone know of explosives or chemicals that could work that way?

[hide away]

Take us as you find us.

[Piruntha]

I want to know the ideas for the future action of land mines
can u say it to me

[Nova Spivack]

Very good Dick, and thank you for sharing this with us!!! Please keep me posted if you make progress in getting Rotary to take this on as a cause.

[dick enright]

Dick Enright
Bridgton-Lake Region Rotary Club
223 Perley Rd.
Naples, Maine 04055
February 12, 2004

President Jonathan Majiyagbe
President Elect Glenn Estess
Rotary International
1560 Sherman Ave.
Evanston, Ill 60201

Ref: Land mine construction and destruction

Dear Sirs:

I would like to ask Rotary International to take a leadership role in land mine destruction and future construction from a humanitarian aspect. Although Rotary is of great assistance after the damage is done, I feel R.I has an opportunity to take a leadership and pro-active role of prevention.

Our international status, presence, ability to collaborate and members in leadership roles, allows for us to have an great humanitarian assistance in regards to this important humanitarian effort. A collaboration humanitarian program that prevents damage to the innocent people and their livelihood after the conflict is over.

GENERAL OUTLINE:

1.) They should be constructed with a life expectancy or self detonating device. To keep it simple they require a AA house battery to operate with a life expectancy of ? Or a computer chip that self distrusts after a set time or can be destroyed by remote computer command. In both cases the mine is destroyed and of no value.

2.) Landline fields be cleared with a vibratory vehicle capable of withstanding the mine detonation and operated by remote control so no personnel are in the field area. A Global Positioning Device would be used ton insure 100% saturation.

Thank you,
Dick Enright
207-693-3588

[Stephanie Schaber]

Wouldn't people still be able to obtain the old landmines (without the time-limit switch)through the black market because they hate their enemy and want even innocent civilians from the opposing land to be killed?

[Josh Kirschenbaum]

Instead of making the trigger of the mine the safety, why not make the explosive the safety? That's the dangerous part. You could add a stabilizer to the explosive that was added over time, so the mine became less and less of a bomb, and more of a chunk of metal in the ground.

Even a mine that has a faulty switch can be hazardous- plus you maintain a functional weapon- that ANYONE can replace the switch with. If the explosive deteriorates...then there's no problem. And if you needed landmines that last (why, I don't know..) the explosive could be replaced.