Depleted Uranium Ammunition
Deadly and Toxic
Depleted uranium (DU) ammunition has been used for decades in warfare both in terms of tank shells, but also with smaller calibre bullets, usually 20mm or 30mm.
The advantage of DU ammunition in tank shells is that it offers high levels of penetration due to the density of the material and also DU rounds tend to cause targets to catch fire on impact.
The problem, however, is twofold:
1. Any type of uranium is toxic to organic life.
2. It is derived from a form of nuclear waste.
When a tank fires a shell, a cloud of DU dust is expelled from the gun and even more is created when it hits a target.
This means a by-product of the nuclear energy industry with residual radioactivity levels (that should be safely buried away from organic life) is salted in dust form across battle zones where this ammunition is used, often in proximity to human and animal life.
It is the toxicity of DU that has the potential for long-term harm on communities that have endured the use of this type of ammunition in their countryside and urban areas.
The sad fact is there are not enough long-term studies of its consequences.
Tons of DU ammunition were used in the fighting in Kuwait and Iraq during the Gulf Wars, but the instability in the latter country since 2003 does not provide a conducive environment for sustainable long-term scientific monitoring of affected communities.
There is simply not enough data to show it is safe, but it is widely accepted that uranium is toxic and everyone knows it.
It is likely under battle conditions that soldiers of all sides and the surrounding communities will be affected by DU dust if they are unlucky.
There is an urgent need for further discussion, debate and research concerning the use of DU ammunition in modern warfare, especially when alternatives exist in the form of tungsten.