The Zone Rouge or Red Zone is a 460 sq miles chain of non-contiguous areas throughout northeastern France that the French government isolated after WW1 because it was deemed too physically and environmentally damaged by conflict for human habitation.
In Verdun alone, the 7.7sq mile area was devastated by 60 million shells (2 million of those to be fired within the first initial assault) causing the deaths of 230,000 men out of 700,000 casualties in just 10 months
Over 900lbs of UXOs are still found each year in Verdun. Farmers often come across these munitions and place them in collection points along the boundaries of the fields.
In just the area around Ypres, 260 people have been killed and 535 have been injured by unexploded munitions since the end of the war.
Heavy traces of mercury, lead, chlorine, arsenic, and poisonous gas are present in the soil. Some areas where 99% of all plants still die remain off limits as arsenic constitutes up to 176 mg/kg of soil samples.
In certain areas, activities such as housing, farming, or forestry are still forbidden, with many villages not permitted to rebuild.
Its estimated that it will take another 300 - 700 years for the areas to be fully cleaned up.
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