UN Expert Warns of Deadly Toxic Legacies of War, Calls for Global Action to Protect People and Planet

Orellana identified military secrecy, sovereign immunity, and evidentiary challenges as key barriers to accountability for toxic war legacies.

The toxic scars left by wars—ranging from radioactive materials to chemical pollution and heavy metals—continue to inflict devastating and long-term damage on human health, ecosystems, and livelihoods worldwide, according to a new report presented to the 80th session of the UN General Assembly.

Marcos Orellana, the UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights, issued a stark warning that toxic remnants of war represent an underrecognized but escalating threat to both people and the planet. He urged States to take decisive steps to prevent and remediate environmental destruction caused by military activities.

The Hidden Environmental Toll of Armed Conflict

Orellana’s report provides a comprehensive assessment of environmental contamination linked to warfare—from the use of depleted uranium munitions and asbestos-laden debris to oil spills, radioactive fallout, and persistent chemical pollutants such as PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) from firefighting foams used on military bases.

The toxic footprint of war, he explained, begins long before hostilities break out and often persists for decades afterward. “Toxic releases from military activities before, during, and after armed conflicts not only threaten the rights to life, health, water, food, and a healthy environment, but also undermine peacebuilding and reconstruction,” Orellana said.

Communities Trapped in Contaminated Environments

In post-conflict areas, toxic remnants often render vast tracts of land uninhabitable. Unexploded ordnance, sunken warships leaking fuel, and soil and groundwater pollution continue to harm civilians long after the fighting stops.

Indigenous Peoples, women, children, displaced persons, and rural communities are disproportionately affected, as they often depend directly on contaminated natural resources for survival. In Iraq, for instance, studies have linked spikes in cancer and congenital disorders to the use of depleted uranium munitions during past conflicts. In Ukraine, the destruction of industrial facilities and military depots has led to hazardous chemical releases that could impact agriculture and water sources for generations.

Obstacles to Accountability and Justice

Orellana identified military secrecy, sovereign immunity, and evidentiary challenges as key barriers to accountability for toxic war legacies. Establishing causal links between exposure and disease can take decades, and in many cases, affected communities lack access to medical care or legal redress.

He called for baseline environmental data collection before conflicts, the use of satellite monitoring and advanced remote sensing technologies, and the creation of effective remedies such as environmental clean-up, compensation, and rehabilitation programs.

“Accountability is hindered by military secrecy, unqualified sovereign immunity, and the difficulty of proving causation after long latency periods,” he said. “We need to strengthen environmental monitoring and ensure that victims receive assistance, including healthcare and remediation.”

Integrating Environmental Safeguards into Military and Peace Operations

The Special Rapporteur emphasized that international human rights law continues to apply during armed conflict, complementing international humanitarian law and existing multilateral environmental agreements such as the Basel Convention and the Stockholm Convention on Persistent Organic Pollutants.

He pointed to recent progress by the UN International Law Commission (ILC) and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) in clarifying legal protections for the environment in warfare, but warned that implementation remains weak. “While these developments are welcome, far more must be done to prevent, reduce, and address toxic legacies of war,” he said.

Key Recommendations: From Ecocide to Environmental Justice

Orellana’s report sets out a roadmap for stronger global action, including:

• Recognizing ecocide as an international crime under the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court (ICC);

• Banning or restricting weapons with severe toxic legacies, including depleted uranium and white phosphorus;

• Safeguarding protected natural areas that may be affected by armed conflict;

• Mandating environmental impact assessments during peacebuilding and reconstruction;

• Developing a new international legal instrument specifically addressing toxic remnants of war.

These measures, he argued, would not only deter future environmental warfare but also support long-term recovery and justice for affected populations.

Contamination Is Preventable, Not Inevitable

Orellana underscored that toxic contamination caused by military activities is not an unavoidable consequence of conflict, but a preventable outcome of policy and planning failures. He urged States to integrate environmental and human rights safeguards into military operations, procurement, and post-conflict recovery frameworks.

“Contamination caused by military activities is not inevitable—it is preventable,” he stressed. “Peacebuilding must include environmental assessments during and after conflict, and victims must receive healthcare, remediation, and justice.”

A Call to Action for Global Peace and Environmental Security

The Special Rapporteur concluded by warning that the failure to address the toxic legacies of war undermines both human rights and long-term peacebuilding. As conflicts continue to proliferate globally, the environmental dimension of warfare must no longer remain a neglected issue.

“States must act decisively to protect people and the planet from the toxic remnants of war,” Orellana said. “True peace requires not only the silencing of weapons but also the healing of the land, the water, and the lives that war has poisoned.”