Graduated November 2022

International Dialogues on Underwater Munitions

Mission

The Global Eradication of Sea Dumped Chemical and Conventional Munitions-Weapons from the Seas; and An International UN Treaty that takes actions to reduce or eliminate the human health and environmental impacts on society from decaying munitions.

 

IDUM Deploying the IVER II Autonomous Underwater Vehicle (AUV) with the Polish Academy of Science surveying and investigating the impacts from Sea Dumped Chemical Weapons in the Baltic Sea.

Founded

January 1, 2004

Location

Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada

Sustainable Development Goals

Program

Millions of dumped chemical and conventional munitions weapons exist in all of our seas, with major impacts on this precious resource at the local, regional and global scales. Toxic munitions have been releasing warfare agents every day that can change seawater temperature, contribute to ocean acidification, and create deadly algae blooms that will cause substantial changes in marine physics, chemistry and biology. These changes will affect the ocean in ways that we are only beginning to understand.

International Dialogue on Underwater Munitions (IDUM) was founded in Canada in 2004 and established in 2014 as a foundation in the Netherlands to see the removal of sea-dumped munitions from our oceans, seas, and waterways. IDUM is a dialogue wherein all stakeholders (governments, private sector, community organizations, and others) can discuss in an open and transparent process science, technology, and policy responses to underwater munitions.

IDUM has successfully hosted five International Dialogues on underwater munitions related issues. Our work is recognized by international organizations such as the United Nations and the Organization for Prohibition of Chemical Weapons. IDUM is also active in collaborative research in a wide range of fields (including oceanography, ecology, toxicology, technology, risk assessment history, and history).

Our work in Hawaii and Puerto Rico focuses on the removal of underwater munitions from coral reefs. We must protect these critically endangered ecosystems and the people who use them. These underwater munitions leach seven known carcinogens, some in very high concentrations. These poisons are now found everywhere throughout the ecosystem, including in fish, the base of the human food chain.

Together with your support IDUM is committed to halting and reversing the decline in the health and productivity of our ocean and its ecosystems and to protecting and restoring its resilience and ecological integrity. We recognize that the wellbeing of present and future generations is inextricably linked to the health and productivity of our ocean.

Our goals:

  • Raise awareness of the human health and environmental impact of underwater munitions
  • Develop a global database of underwater munition sites
  • Develop a repository of information for underwater munitions
  • Promote a binding international treaty addressing underwater munitions Eradicate “point-source emitters of pollution”

Contact

Web

Welcome to IDUM

Team

Contact: [email protected], [email protected]

Mr. Terrance P. Long CPSM. SSM. CD. – Chairman

→   LinkedIn profile

Dr. Thomas Stock, DYNSAFE Germany – Co-Chairman

First Nations Elder, Albert Marshall

Chelbylynn Milton

Dr. Andrzej Jagusiewicz – Co-Chairman

→   LinkedIn profile

Retired, Col. Peter Courtney-Green – Consultant in the field of ammunition and explosives

Dr. Jacek Beldowski, Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, Marine Chemistry & Ecology

→   Dr. Jacek Beldowski’s citations on researchgate.net

Dr. Kela Weber, Associate Professor, Royal Military College of Canada

Ms. Elisa Perpignan MSc., ISTAB Member

→   LinkedIn Profile

Ms. Cherylynn Hunt BSc., MES.

→   LinkedIn Profile

Dr. James W. Porter, Josiah Meigs Professor of Ecology, Emeritus Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia

→   Curriculum Vitae

Dr. ProJanina Baršienė – Lead Scientist, Head of Genotoxicology Laboratory

Dr. Valentine Nzengung, Founder, CEO & CTO of MuniRem Environmental

Full details of his academic activities are on his page at UGA.

→   LinkedIn Profile

Mr. Dominique Anelli

Dr. Alex Souchen, SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow, Wilfrid Laurier University

→   Curriculum Vitae

Mr. James Barton – President, Underwater Ordnance Recovery

Dr. Vadim Paka, Russian Academy of Sciences, Shirshov Institute, Institute of Oceanography – Head of Laboratory

→   Dr. Vadim Paka’s profile on researchgate.net

Mr. Noah Ameer Al-Malt – Legal Consultant

Mr. George Orbelian

Christine Ward-Paige, PhD