Show navigation

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD)

Road Block made of Ammunitions Deposit in Libya

Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) refers to the detection, identification, evaluation, rendering safe, recovery and disposal of unexploded ordnances (UXO).

EOD operations vary considerably depending on the nature of the munitions that need to be disposed: some items will be neutralized, which means that the item is not destroyed but simply disarmed, and others will require detonation; some operations may be conducted for the disposal of a single munition, others may cover the disposal of a stockpile of ammunition.

Ideally, the EOD team would be able to safely transport the individual mines and expolsive remnants of war (ERW) to a nearby disposal site before destroying or neutralizing them. This is not always conceivable, however, because there is a likelihood that the item will detonate if moved. In this case, the munition must be destroyed or neutralised in situ.  Transporting the munition to a disposal site is, nevertheless, preferable because it avoids contamination of the area with metal remains. The decision to transport a mine or an ERW must be made by a trained EOD operator.