A century on, French soil still contaminated by WWI ammunition

Michel Collignon on his farm in Houdelaucourt-sur-Othain, north-eastern France. (RFI/Claire Rush)

World War I ended 100 years ago. But its effects linger on in north-eastern France, in the form of environmental pollution. Several years ago, researchers discovered that ammunition destruction operations, carried out near Verdun after the war, have left the topsoil contaminated.

 

 

A discovery that’s particularly affected farmers.

Claire Rush has this report from the rural village of Houdelaucourt-sur-Othain.

WWI Ammunition pollution in France 07/12/2018 Listen

 

WWI ammunition pollution in Houdelaucourt-sur-Othain, north-eastern France

• The soil pollution on Michel Collignon’s farm in Houdelaucourt-sur-Othain, north-eastern France, 20 November 2018.
  RFI/Claire Rush

• Michel Collignon on his farm in Houdelaucourt-sur-Othain.
  RFI/Claire Rush

• Michel finds a piece of shrapnel on his farm, a remnant of a shell that was blown up at the surplus ammunition destruction site next to his farm in the 1920s.
  RFI/Claire Rush

• Some of the surplus ammunition at the site was destroyed by being buried in a big hole with TNT and blown up, leaving metres-deep craters still visible today in the woods next to Michel's farm.
  RFI/Claire Rush

• A red pole marks one of the sites where geologists took soil samples for analysis.
  RFI/Claire Rush

• Michel and his son in front of their home.
  RFI/Claire Rush

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