Switzerland is offering big money to those with creative solutions to the problem of military ammunitions in its lakes. Many visitors to the picturesque lakes Lucerne, Thun, Brienz, and Neuchatel have no idea they conceal thousands of tons of ammunitions dumped by the Swiss military between 1918 and 1964, per Business Insider. There are an estimated 3,300 tons of munitions in Lake Lucerne and 4,500 tons in Neuchatel, including some just 20 feet below the surface, per the BBC. The government initially thought the practice was safe. More recently, the dangers have been revealed.
Retired geologist Marcos Buser, a government adviser, wrote a research paper on the topic more than a decade ago, noting there was still a risk of explosion as "the army did not remove the fuses before dumping the munition." He also warned the munitions could contaminate the lakes' water and soil. The government ordered an assessment of possible recovery options in 2005 but all proposed solutions included severe risk to the lakes' ecosystems. The hope is to find a safe and environmental solution that doesn't break the bank—though any salvage operation is likely to cost billions, the BBC reports.
Poor visibility, magnetic iron, and individual ammunition weights "represent major challenges for environmentally friendly ammunition recovery," according to the government. Those who put forth the three best ideas will split 50,000 francs, or about $58,000. Anyone can submit an idea up until February 6. A panel of experts will review submissions, then announce the three winners in April. "It is not planned to implement the submitted entries immediately, but they could serve as the basis for further clarifications or for launching research projects," the government said. (More Switzerland stories.)
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