Military Activities and Toxics — Report of the Special Rapporteur on the Implications for Human Rights of the Environmentally Sound Management and Disposal of Hazardous Substances and Wastes
Publisher: Office of the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights
Author(s): Marcos Orellana
Date: 2025
Topics: Governance, Livelihoods, Weapons, Waste, and Pollution
In the present report, the Special Rapporteur on the implications for human rights of the environmentally sound management and disposal of hazardous substances and wastes examines the human rights implications of toxics released by military activities. Military activities before, during and after armed conflict generate toxic legacies that harm human health, disrupt ecosystems and livelihoods, and undermine peacebuilding and reconstruction efforts. In his report, the Special Rapporteur documents sources of exposure and their impacts on human and environmental health, and highlights the need for robust legal standards and measures to prevent, mitigate and remediate the harm caused by military contamination, in line with the human rights obligations of States.