Munitions introduced to the sea during military activities, including naval combat and mine warfare represent only a fraction of military material present in seas and oceans. Huge amounts of obsolete conventional munitions and chemical munitions were dumped to the sea until 1975, when London convention put a stop of sea dumping. Such munitions are a threat for maritime workers, but also for environment. Corroding shells release toxic degradation products to sediments and bottom water, and unlike other contaminants, they cannot be reduced by land measures. Only removal of source can reduce the contamination. Much work has been done in the last decade, and mechanisms of toxicity and bioaccumulation are being recognized, as well as transport and spreading mechanisms. The full assessment of the risk associated with munitions now depends on broad application of developed techniques.

在军事活动（包括海战和地雷作战）中引入海中的弹药仅代表海洋中存在的军事物资的一小部分。直到1975年伦敦公约制止海上倾倒之时，大量过时的常规弹药和化学弹药才被倾倒在海中。这种弹药既对海事工人构成威胁，也对环境构成威胁。腐蚀的贝壳将有毒的降解产物释放到沉积物和底水中，与其他污染物不同，它们无法通过陆地措施予以减少。仅去除源可以减少污染。在过去的十年中已经完成了许多工作，毒性和生物蓄积的机制以及运输和传播机制得到了认可。