Everybody who shoots has dreamed of brass which doesn’t require clean up.  Soldiers and civilians spend a lot of time picking up brass and the Department of Defense has a plan that may change ammunition forever. What if it grew flowers?

The US military shoots a tons of ammunition which scatter components all over the impact area.  Projectiles and components slowly degrade over centuries and may polluting ground and water sources.

The Department of Defense (DoD) has requested the Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) program to develop “biodegradable training ammunition loaded with specialized seeds to grow environmentally beneficial plants that eliminate ammunition debris and contaminants.”

This request is not limited to small arms, DOD wants to replace “low velocity 40mm grenades; 60mm, 81mm, and 120mm mortars; shoulder launched munitions; 120mm tank rounds; and 155mm artillery rounds” with biodegradable alternatives.  This includes cartridge cases and sabot petals, which are spread through the impact areas.