Team:Edinburgh/mapxmldenmark



Denmark <![CDATA[ When it became a State Party to the Mine Ban Treaty, Denmark had one known mined area to clear from World War II, on the peninsula of Skallingen on Denmark’s west coast. In 2005, an 8km fence was erected to replace and supplement an old fence and sign postings, excluding some 2.95km2 of land from the public. This included a “buffer zone due to the inconsistency in the available mapping information.”

Of the suspected mined area, 900,000m2 is beach, which may be contaminated from mines displaced along the eroding coastline. The minefield comprised three suspected hazardous areas (SHAs), the first of which was cleared in 2006, releasing 190,000m2 of land. In March 2008, Denmark expected the second SHA, measuring 475,000m2, to be cleared by the end of 2008. By August, it reported that the area had already been cleared by April 2008. The third and final SHA, 1.2km2 in size, borders the sea. According to Denmark, the exact location of contamination had not been determined as of March 2008, but the area fenced off is larger than the actual mined area. Demining on the Skallingen peninsula has been awarded to commercial companies by tender.[8] Denmark has formed a National Mine Action Authority within the Danish Coastal Authority responsible for national clearance standards, the tender process, and the quality of clearance operations.

Denmark’s Article 5 deadline extension request (see below) states that based on the experience from demining of the first SHA, the clearance standards were altered slightly,[10] although no details have been provided. Based on findings in the first two SHAs, it was stated that: “Most or all remaining mines are ineffective because of the salty, wet environment in the area.” Prior to clearance of the third SHA, it was stated that the standards would again be “reviewed and formulated.” Demining of the third SHA will also be conducted by tender with a civil contractor.

Denmark has expressed concern about the environmental implications of clearing the remaining SHA, in particular whether an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) might be required. This might require permission from the environmental authorities for the technical survey.

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