What does the term "demilitarization" refer to?

Demilitarization refers to the process of rendering munitions incapable of being used, ensuring that they cannot be employed in military operations. This involves actions such as dismantling, destroying, or otherwise neutralizing munitions so that they can no longer pose a risk to safety or security. The process is crucial in managing stockpiles of obsolete or surplus munitions, aligning with international safety regulations and environmental standards.

By contrast, enhancing munition capabilities would imply increasing their effectiveness or operational capacity, which is the opposite of demilitarization. Recycling of explosive materials focuses on recovering usable components from munitions, rather than eliminating their functionality. Assessing munitions effectiveness involves evaluating how well munitions perform their intended roles, rather than decommissioning them. Thus, the choice that accurately defines demilitarization is the one that emphasizes making munitions unusable.