Contamination and Impact

Mines

The 1982 armed conflict between Argentina and the United Kingdom (UK) resulted in many thousands of antipersonnel and antivehicle mines being laid on the Falkland Islands/Malvinas, most by Argentina.[1] The Falkland Islands/Malvinas are the subject of a sovereignty dispute between Argentina and the UK.

More than 110 mined areas remain to be released, covering a total area of more than 9km² and containing some 19,000 mines.[2] The area are said to be surrounded by a three-strand fence and marked with danger signs at regular intervals around the perimeter, in addition to the NATO standard mine warning triangles. When depositing its initial Article 7 report in August 1999, the UK included minefield maps for the Falkland Islands/Malvinas.

No human casualties from mines or other ordnance have been reported in the Falkland Islands/Malvinas since 1984, although there have been a number of “infringements of minefields” recorded, including several children and tourists; some people arrived in the mined areas after disembarking from boats. A number of cattle have been killed in minefields. Presumably, minefields are not fenced where the edge of the minefield touches the coast.[3]

Cluster munition remnants and other explosive remnants of war

There is also residual unexploded ordnance (UXO) from the 1982 armed conflict, including a number of areas that may contain cluster munition remnants resulting from the use of BL-755 cluster bombs by the UK against Argentine positions. Clearance operations in 2009–2010 across four mined areas encountered and destroyed two submunitions and nine other explosive remnants of war.[4] The precise extent of UXO contamination is not known. The UK has also noted the presence of booby-traps on the islands.[5]