Norway’s defense ministry has no complete record of how much munitions and explosives remain scattered across its landscape from past military activity and dumped wartime materials. Estimates now suggest as much as a million tons of such ordnance could still lie buried or exposed in forests, fjords and coastal areas.
The opposition Conservative Party (Høyre) has demanded the government produce a full national inventory and a cleanup plan within two years. Party defense spokesman Erlend Wiborg confirmed the request in parliament Tuesday, saying existing data is fragmented and unreliable.
Current figures rely on scattered records from the 1940s and 1950s, when Norway disposed of surplus wartime stockpiles by dumping at sea or burying inland. The Norwegian Defense Estates Agency manages some sites but lacks resources to assess the full scope of contamination.
Environmental groups warn that aging explosives pose risks of accidental detonation and toxic leaks. Local municipalities near former military ranges report rising calls about unexploded ordnance, including incidents involving children and hikers.
A defense ministry spokesperson said a new mapping project will begin next spring, using ground-penetrating radar and historical archives. The government has not yet allocated funding or set deadlines beyond the two-year target for the inventory.
Source: tu.no