What is DU?

( http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/abom/uran/special/index2.html ) Natural uranium ore from the mine goes through an enrichment process designed to separate uranium 2 ! ("-2 !)# the isotope used for nuclear weapons and nuclear reactors# from uranium 2 $ ("-2 $)# a low-le%el radioacti%e b&-product. 'he highl& radioacti%e isotope "-2 ! accounts for less than () of mined uranium* nearl& all the rest is "-2 $. 'he %ast +uantit& of highl& toxic metal ("-2 $) generated b& this process is called ,depleted uranium, or ,-"., -" emits primaril& alpha radiation# and its half-life is thought to be about the age of the .arth# or /.! billion &ears. -" began accumulating in the "0 in the earl& (1/2s while the 3anhattan 4roject was de%eloping the first atomic bombs. 'o date# more than !22 thousand tons ha%e been produced# and it continues to accumulate. 5t the uranium enrichment plant in 4aducah# 6entuck&# and two other locations# -" is packed into metal containers and stored outdoors. -" is approximatel& 2.! times denser than iron and (.7 times denser than lead. 'his high specific gra%it& means that# as a projectile fired from a tank or aircraft# it carries enough kinetic energ& to blast through the tough armor of a tank. 8urthermore# the impact of this penetration generates extreme heat. -" is p&rophoric# meaning that it burns on impact and can set the target on fire. -" is eas& to process and endless +uantities can be obtained free from the -epartment of .nerg& (-9.)# which controls -" and considers its use in munitions to be ,utili:ation of waste material., 'he "0 militar& first noted these ad%antageous features of -" in the (1;2s# at the height of the <old =ar. >t began working with such institutions as the ?os 5lamos National ?aborator& (New 3exico) to de%elop -" armor piercing shells for use against the tanks of the former 0o%iet "nion. 4roduction began in the (172s and (1$2s at a number of militar& munitions factories. 'he weapons are tested at se%eral firing ranges around the countr&. 'he "0 militar& first used -" munitions in combat during the @ulf =ar# firing penetrators from (22 and (2!mm canons mounted on tanks. 5ircraft fired them from 2! or 2mm guns. 'he Aritish fired -" rounds from tanks onl&. -uring 9peration -esert 0torm (8ebruar& 2/ to 2$# (11()# at least (2#222 rounds of -" ammunition were fired from tanks# and at least 1/2 thousand were fired from aircraft. 5 -" projectile from a (22mm canon weighs about (2.! pounds (about /.7 kilograms). 9ne from a 2mm gun weighs about 2.;7 pounds (about 22 grams). Aecause the& burn on impact# 22 to 72) of their mass is %apori:ed and diffuses into the air as uranium oxide particles. >t is said that when these uranium oxide particles are ingested or inhaled# the combination of radiation and high chemical toxicit& can cause cancer and a wide %ariet& of other ailments. 'he "0 Nuclear Begulator& <ommission (NB<) has set the permissable internal dose of "-2 $ at 2.(1 milligrams per da& for the general public. 8or emplo&ees at nuclear-related facilities# the limit is 2 milligrams.

Impact of DU munitions
9f the ;1; thousand 5merican soldiers who participated in the @ulf =ar# about / ; thousand entered areas contaminated b& -" shells. -an 8ahe& ( (# photo# based in =ashington# -<) of the 3ilitar& 'oxicit& 4roject# a ci%ilian watchdog group in%estigating the en%ironmental and health impacts of the use and dismantling of "0 weapons# studied material obtained through the 8reedom of >nformation 5ct and announced in 3arch (11$ that# ,5bout /22 thousand soldiers ma& ha%e been exposed to depleted uranium., 'he "0 -efense -epartment (4entagon) attacked this estimate# claiming that his figures were utterl& groundless. 5bout eight months later# under pressure from the National @ulf =ar Besource <enter (N@=B<) (head office: =ashington# -<) created b& @ulf =ar %eterans# their families and allies# the 4entagon published a map of the areas in which -" shells were used. 5t that point# the& admitted that about / ; thousand ground soldiers had entered areas where -" munitions were used in 6uwait and >ra+. 'he ha:ards of -" were known before the @ulf =ar. 5 militar& report in (17/ e%aluating the medical and en%ironmental effects of depleted uranium noted# ,>n combat situations in%ol%ing the widespread use of -" munitions# the potential for inhalation# ingestion# or implantation of -" compounds ma& be locall& significant., 5nother report issued in Cul& (112 b& the 0cience 5pplications >nternational <orporation (05><)# a compan& under contract to the militar&# identified the ha:ards e%en more clearl&. Aecause depleted uranium is ,a low-le%el alpha radiation emitter, it could be ,linked to cancer when exposures are internal., >t further warned# ,5erosol -" exposures to soldiers on the battlefield could be significant# with potential radiological and toxicological effects., 'hus# the 4entagon knew the dangers of -" well in ad%ance# &et did nothing to inform or educate its soldiers about that danger and took no protecti%e measures. >n (11 # a report compiled b& the @eneral 5ccounting 9ffice (@59) stated# ,'he 5rm& was not ade+uatel& prepared to deal with depleted uranium contamination., 'he reason gi%en would be hard to defend to those who became casualties of this decision. ,5rm&

officials belie%e that -" protecti%e methods can be ignored during battle and other life-threatening situations because -"-related health risks are greatl& outweighed b& the risks of combat., 'his attitude cost thousands of &oung men and women in their twenties and thirties their health and e%en their li%es long after the war. Other Factors -" munitions were not the onl& source of the health problems that emerged after the @ulf =ar. 3an& soldiers were gi%en medicines ne%er appro%ed b& the 8ood and -rug 5dministration (8-5). 'he& were exposed to intense smoke pollution from oil field fires# post-war destruction of >ra+i chemical weapons storehouses# and %arious toxic substances released during the war. 'hus# numerous factors ma& be in%ol%ed. 5mong the medicines the soldiers took under orders from their officers was an antidote to biological weapons called p&risdostigmine bromide (4A). 'he& also recei%ed a %accine against botulinum and a drug to protect against anthrax. 5ccording to an in%estigation b& the N@=B<# 2!2 thousand troops took 4A# $#222 recei%ed botulinum %accinations# and (!2 thousand took the anthrax medicine. 5 total of ;1; thousand 5merican soldiers took part in the @ulf =ar from 5ugust 2# (112# when >ra+ in%aded 6uwait# until Cul& (# (11(# when the last of the soldiers came home after shipping home 5merican tanks destro&ed b& friendl& -" fire. 9f these# !71 thousand had left the militar& and ((7 thousand remained enlisted as of Cul& (111.

Age Distribution of Active Duty Force Service 5rm& Na%& 3arine <orps 5ir 8orce <oast @uard 18- 1 ($. ) ($.; ) ;.1 ) (/./ ) (2.2 ) -!" /$ ) /; ) /; ) /; ) /$ ) !1-#" 2!.; ) 2;. ) (/ ) 2$. ) 27 ) #1-$" 7.1 ) $. ) .( ) (2 ) (2 ) $1-$% 2.7 ) 2.$ ) 2.2 ) 2.; ) () Average Age 21 21 2! 2 2

&ength

'he o%erall a%erage length of enlistment for ".0. militar& personnel is just under (! &ears for all branches calculated together. 'he a%erage ser%ice time for officers is a bit less# a%eraging about (( &ears. 'he ".0. 5ir 8orce has an a%erage enlistment time of (/.7 &ears. Bead more: http://www.ehow.com/factsD7; 7/$(Da%erage-length-enlistmentmilitar&.htmlEix::2F4d!&+2x
'veryone (ho en)ists in the Unite* States +i)itary, (hether its for active *uty -fu)) time. or /ationa) 0uar*12eserves -part time. incurs a +I/I+U+ eight-year service ob)igation3 4hat5s right -- (hen you sign on the *otte* )ine, you commit yourse)f for eight years6

Scientists grave)y concerne* about hea)th effects

DU near private homes
( http://www.chugoku-np.co.jp/abom/uran/&ugoDe/koso%o.html ) 8rom# Nis# the second largest cit& in Gugosla%ia# m& guide and interpreter Nikola Ao:ino%ic (2!) and > head b& car to Hranje# a cit& of ;!#222. =e dri%e ((! kilometers (72 miles) south on the main road to 3acedonia. 'he National Iealth >nstitute is in the heart of the cit&. =e were ushered to a second floor conference room where 3irosla% 0imic ( 2)# in charge of the 4h&sics -epartment and directl& in%ol%ed in the -" sur%e&# began his explanation. ,5t least or /#222 -" shells were fired in southern 0erbia., 'he institute has been unable to sur%e& dangerous places near the 6oso%o border or in areas accessible onl& b& jeep# so as he points out# ,'he actual number could be far greater.,

Fie)* fu)) of ho)es

5fter recei%ing a %ideo presentation of the instituteJs sur%e& conducted b& 0imic and his team# we %isited Berjan# a %illage where -" munitions were actuall& used. 5n arm& colonel (!;) rode with us ,for safet&., Berjan is about 22 kilometers (( miles) southwest from Hranje. >t is farming %illage with a population of a few hundred. >t is located in 0erbia# &et 3uslim 5lbanians li%e there peacefull&. >t is one of the few ,coexistence areas, that are so rare these da&s. =e stopped the car on a hill where about /2#222 Gugosla%ian soldiers were encamped during the war. 5bout fi%e kilometers ( miles) on the other side of the hill# from which there was a good %iew# we could see the border with 3acedonia. ,?ook. 0ee all these holesK 'he&Jre made b& -" penetrators., @etting out of the car# we walked o%er the field. 'he holes# about (2 centimeters (/ inches) in diameter# were e%er&where. 8ired from 5(2 fighter planes e+uipped with 7-chambered machine guns capable of firing 2mm rounds at more than (222 rounds per minute# the penetrators that failed to strike metal (tanks# etc.) went straight into the ground# buried (.2 to (.! meters deep. ,=e had lots of dumm& tanks made of wood all around# rightK 'he pilots thought the& were real tanks and attacked them ferociousl&. 0ome of the rounds fell %er& close to pri%ate homes#, said 0imic. 0ome of the -" penetrators from this area were remo%ed b& the militar&# placed in special shielded containers and stored in the basement of the >nstitute. ,=e donJt reall& know how man& -" penetrators actuall& hit the tanks or trucks the& were aimed at. 'hose that did were %apori:ed and the particles scattered into the air. >t is certainl& true that the majorit& are buried in the earth. Iowe%er# it would be impossible to go around remo%ing them all., sa&s 0imic. Invo)ving *octors in the investigation 5fter returning to Nis# > met with @olan 3anic (/() 7picture*7# who has been tra%eling around sur%e&ing soil radiation le%els in southern 0erbia where the -" munitions were used. Ie is director of the Badiation -epartment at the >nstitute of 9ccupational Iealth. Ie opened his notebook and began to explain what he had found after anal&:ing about !22 samples. ,>n soil directl& next to a buried -" penetrator we found a maximum of 2 !#222 Aec+uerels of "-2 $ per kilogram. 'his figure refers to the number of atoms deca&ing per second# and this le%el of radiation is similar to that found in areas contaminated b& the <hernob&l nuclear power accident., 5ccording to 3anic# soil with large amounts of buried -" can be expected to affect the crops grown in it# the li%estock that feed on those crops# and the underground water. <learl& we need to consider the impact on human beings as the radiation comes up through the food chain. ,=e intend to work with doctors to watch this impact %er& carefull&. Nis and the capital cit& Aeograd suffered tremendous damage from bombs and missiles# but luckil& the& ha%enJt found an& radiation#, sa&s 3anic. 'he instituteJs greatest concern is the impact on 6oso%o# where the most -" munitions were used. Iowe%er# gi%en the present conflict situation# ,=e canJt just go o%er to 6oso%o and conduct a sur%e&., 3anicJs expression is grim. 5fter gathering information in 0erbia# > left Nis and headed for the pro%ince of 6oso%o. 3aking detours to get around broken bridges# struggliing along bad mountain roads# we arri%ed at the ,state border, in a little o%er 2 hours. 5s we said goodb&e# m& interpreter# Ao:ino%ic# urged me to# ,'ell us whatJs happening in 6oso%o., Ie was clearl& sad about this separation from his 5lbanian neighbors. 'hen > was in 6oso%o# now go%erned b& an international peacekeeping force led b& the "0# "6# @erman&# 8rance# and >tal&-the fi%e N5'9 countries. 4ri:ren is about (22 kilometers (; miles) from the border. > chartered a %ehicle that happened to come along through the good offices of Aritish soldiers and set off toward m& destination %ia the capital# 4ristina. 8rom 4ri:ren to -ako%ica# finall& arri%ing in 4e&a# southwest 6oso%o. 'his area recei%ed concentrated attacks with -" munitions. -uring the fighting# nearl& all of the 5lbanians fled to neighboring 5lbania or 3acedonia. 3an& had since returned under the protection of the international securit& forces. =hen > asked them about -" munitions# not one of them knew an&thing about it at all. .%en among those working through N@9s from other countries to offer medical and other assistance# > found almost no one who had heard of depleted uranium. =hen > inter%iewed spokespersons at the "0 and Aritish defense departments# > asked# ,5re &ou taking measures to protect &our soldiers stationed in 6oso%oK, Aoth departments answered identicall&. ,=e ha%e instructed them not to touch -" munitions or tanks that were destro&ed b& -" penetrators. =e are taking ade+uate protecti%e measures as re+uired., Iowe%er# those warnings ha%e ne%er reached the residents nor the N@9 personnel. ,-epleted uranium penetratorK =hat sort of weapon is thatK =hat effect does it ha%eK, 5fter asking the +uestion# in most cases > ended up explaining. 0erbian scientists ha%e been engaged in sophisticated nuclear science at theNuclear >nstitute of Hinca in the outskirts of Aeograd and elsewhere. 'hus#the& began measuring radiation e%en during the bombing ha%e responded swiftl&. >n the @ulf =ar and Aosnian <onflict# a few 0erbian tanks were attacked b& -" munitions so the& are experienced in stud&ing the effects. Iowe%er# such a s&stem

is non-existent in 6oso%o. "" sheep a)) 8i))e* @uided b& m& interpreter Iaji Ioti ( 7)# an 5lbanian who works with an N@9 based in 4ri:ren# > explored -ako%ica and %icinit& b& car. Hisiting farmhouses outside of town# we encountered 5sdren 0pahia (27)# a farmer. ,>J%e got no energ&#, he complained in 5lbanian. =hen the bombing started# > sent the rest of m& famil& out and sta&ed here with m& father (7!) to take care of m& 222 sheep. =e were spared the atrocities of the 0erbian soldiers and direct bombing b& N5'9# but all our sheep died. > ha%e no doubt that the& died because of the bullets that fell all around here., 0pahia and his father are still unable to bu& a single sheep. Her& close to downtown -ako%ica lie the remains of a Gugosla%ian militar& base. BesidentsJ houses line the road across from the base where tanks and trucks destro&ed b& -" penetrators lie abandoned where the& were hit. =e found &oung men pla&ing on one. ,=e alwa&s hang around here. >f we find something dangerous like a cartridge case weJre supposed to let the foreign soldiers know. =eJ%e told them about some things and a lot of stuff was cleaned up. =e touched it though., 9ne of the bo&s# .dmond -emaj ((;)# remarked casuall&. ,'his tank is contaminated b& radiation. >tJs dangerous for &ou to get up there., =hen Ioti told them this the& said# ,=h&K 'his is the most interesting place to be., 'he& climbed down from the tank but seemed uncon%inced /ot one pub)ic report 5ccording to Ioti# there has ne%er been a single report about -" munitions e%en in local newspapers or on the radio. > wanted to meet the man responsible for the >talian troops who are charged with keeping peace in and around -ako%ica. > %isited the >talian head+uarters. 'he guards at the entrance refused e%en to hear what > wanted. 'he& simpl& refused to open the doors. > went to the head+uarters of "N3>6 ("N >nterim 5dministration 3ission in 6oso%o)# which is charged with go%erning 6oso%o#and again# the& onl& said# ,'hatJs not our job., >t seemed no one was sure where the responsibilit& resided. ,=eJre glad the N5'9 bombing chased the 0erbs out# but if the& left a bunch of radiation around... =e need to get these international institutions or N@9s to do a thorough scientific in%estigation or weJll ne%er be able to li%e here with confidence#, Ioti declared. Iis face mirrored those of the 0erbian scientists worried about radioacti%e contamination in 6oso%o.

U/ fin*s 9osovo nuc)ear *anger "0 ammunition ma& ha%e been made with Jdirt&J depleted uranium ( http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/222(/jan/(7/armstrade.unitednations ) 8ragments of depleted uranium ammunition found in 6oso%o were made with reprocessed fuel from nuclear reactors# the "nited Nations confirmed &esterda&# raising new fears about the risks of contamination. 9fficials of the "N en%ironment programme said tests on material gathered b& its team of experts in 6oso%o had re%ealed traces of uranium 2 ; - an isotope found onl& in spent nuclear fuel - among weapons deli%ered b& Nato aircraft in the (111 conflict. 'he disco%er& came as the latest senior figure to enter the debate# the commander of Aritish forces in the @ulf war# 0ir 4eter de la Ailliere# called last night for a full public in+uir& into claims that exposure to depleted uranium weapons had caused serious illnesses among Aritish troops. Ie also suggested compensation for afflicted ser%ice personnel.

'he latest -" disco%er&# which follows the in%estigation of eight of the ((2 sites in 6oso%o b& a team of "N scientists last No%ember# is likel& to prompt +uestions about what other dangerous radioacti%e materials ma& ha%e been contained in the "0 shells. 8uther anal&sis is being carried out in fi%e .uropean laboratories to determine radioacti%it& le%els. 'he =orld Iealth 9rganisation and other international bodies ha%e also been asked to gi%e their as sessment of the implications of the finding. 'here are two t&pes of depleted uranium# known as ,clean and dirt&,. "ntil now it has been assumed that the material used in "0 shells was of the clean %ariet& which is obtained as a side-product of the extraction of uranium 2 ! from ore to make nuclear fuel or nuclear weapons. A& contrast ,dirt&, -" is what is left o%er when the fuel has been through a nuclear reaction. >t is known as ,dirt&, because it ma& be contaminated with traces of far more dangerous isotopes such as plutonium and other highl& radioacti%e particles. ,'his is the first time that the spent fuel origins of -" munitions ha%e emerged#, -a%id 6&d# a spokesman for the >nternational 5tomic .nerg& 5genc&# which is taking part in the "NJs in%estigation# said last night. 'he "N en%ironment programme said in a statement last night that the amount of uranium 2 ; had been so small that it had minimal extra radioacti%e toxicit&. Iowe%er# it said a final assessment would onl& be made once testing on spent ammunition# soil# water and milk samples collected in 6oso%o is completed next month. =hen Aritish Nuclear 8uels supplied shells to the 3o- for use in the @ulf war# it used clean -". Aut in (11 # according to documents seen b& the @uardian# (22#222kg of -" were imported from the "0 for use in munitions. None of this was used b& Aritish forces in 6oso%o although tanks with this ammunition on board were read& for deplo&ment. ?ast night it was not known whether the -" imported into Aritain was clean or dirt&. 'he likel& explanation of how dirt& -" came to be used in 6oso%o is one of cost and ease of access b& the "0 militar&. >n the pri%atised world of "0 nuclear utilities the clean -" would belong to pri%ate companies. >n the possession of the go%ernment would be stockpiles of dirt& -" left o%er from the cold war when the "0 militar& reprocessed thousands of tonnes of spent nuclear fuel to extract the plutonium. 8or e%er& tonne of plutonium gained# (22 tonnes of dirt& -" would ha%e to be stored. >n the (1$2s and (112s all four big nuclear powers - Bussia# "0# "6 and 8rance - began con%erting stockpiles of otherwise useless -" into armour piercing weapons. >t was not until last night that an&one outside militar& circles realised that some of it was dirt& -". 3eanwhile# it emerged that @eneral 0ir 4eter de la Ailliere confirmed he was not warned that -" weapons could pose a radiation danger. 0ir 4eterJs inter%ention will be welcomed b& @ulf war %et erans con%inced the shells ha%e led to serious illnesses. 5sked b& the AA< News if he supported calls for a full public in+uir& into -" weapons# 0ir 4eter replied: ,9f course# for two reasons. >f indeed there is a pro%en link to illnesses (%eterans ha%e) got to be looked after and recei%e proper compensation., 0econdl&# he said# it was criticall& important to establish whether there was a link because if there was not# the militar& would want to go on us ing the weapons. 5sked if he was warned about -" weapons - fired b& Aritish tanks as well as 5merican armour and aircraft during the @ulf war - 0ir 4eter said: ,> was not aware there were an& specific dangers to it., Ie added that Aritish commanders wanted to make sure the& had the ,best e+uipment on the market,.