A series of Executive Orders and DoD Directives has created a need for the military to develop “green” munitions – munitions that minimize effects on human health and the environment, and also can be more cost effectively demilitarized at the end of their life cycle. PEO Ammunition and the U.S. Army Defense Ammunition Center (DAC) funded the implementation of the “Green” Munitions Analytical Compliance System (G–MACS) on the World Wide Web.

G–MACS objectively and quantitatively calculates the “greenness” of a munition and its components/parts/ chemicals, including explosives, without delaying the development of new munitions. G–MACS is based upon 43 weighted “green” criteria that encompass ecological, health, safety and regulatory impacts of explosives and other munition chemical constituents. Total “green,” or criteria segment, scores can be quantitatively compared for an old and new munition to analyze their relative “greenness,” or the scores can be used to rank the “greenness” of a series of equivalent munitions (e.g., grenades), or munition parts (e.g., fuzes). “Green” assessments can be performed during the design of a munition, or to evaluate an existing munition. Although G–MACS was implemented to facilitate development of new “green” munitions, it will more frequently be utilized to analyze munitions in use to identify mechanisms to improve their greenness by substitution of less hazardous materials, such as “greener” explosive parts. Additionally, G–MACS can be utilized to create a “Green” Components, Parts, or Energetics Index, that facilitates selection of materials with higher “green” scores during the development of new munitions, or the improvement of munitions in production. G–MACS is currently “live” on the Web. Users who will benefit from the use of G–MACS include purchasing agents, design engineers, ammunition development contractors, environmental/safety/health professionals, program managers, shipping/transportation/ storage personnel, and a variety of munition supervisors.