Clearing of old weapons stockpile to cost CHF2.59 billion

Mitholz: beneath the idyllic scenery lies 3,500 tonnes of old explosives. Keystone / Peter Schneider

The government has approved funding of CHF2.59 billion ($2.74 billion) for a large-scale clearing of an old ammunition depot in the Bernese Alps.

The money for the clean-up operation will now head to parliament to be debated by the two chambers, the government said on WednesdayExternal link.

The decision to clear the former weapons stockpile in Mitholz was made in 2020, after experts found that the 3,500 tonnes of ammunition and explosives stored in the underground site posed a bigger danger than previously assumed.

The operation, set to last over two decades, is far from straightforward: around 50 people living close to the area will have to leave their homes by 2025, for the duration of the clean-up. There are also complications linked to geology and infrastructure in the region.

The money set aside by the government is divided into three slices: CHF1.09 billion for preparation efforts before the clearance, as well as security measures; CHF740 million for the operation as such, and restoration work afterwards; and CHF760 million to cover possible additional expenses or unforeseen problems.

The underground ammo storage depot in Mitholz, which was built during World War II, was the site of an explosion in 1947 which killed nine people.