Difference between revisions of "Depleted Uranium"

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In case you wonder why DU never turns up on Army or regulatory websites about TCAAP, such as EPA [http://www.epa.gov/region5superfund/npl/minnesota/MN7213820908.htm]- Minnesota Pollutin Control Agency MPCA doesnt even have a website on Minnesota's largest superfund site-: EPA contends, that DU did not get released into the environment, despite clear evidence to the contrary ( soil via sewer , air). Hence in EPA logic DU "clean" up is not part of the Superfund program at TCAAP. Neat! NRC contends no release in excess of their limits was found. With 350 supersacks of debris and soil of the demolished DU room awaiting disposal in Andrews, TX one can only wonder what this doublespeak means. Environmental crime in the US goes largely unpunished.
 
In case you wonder why DU never turns up on Army or regulatory websites about TCAAP, such as EPA [http://www.epa.gov/region5superfund/npl/minnesota/MN7213820908.htm]- Minnesota Pollutin Control Agency MPCA doesnt even have a website on Minnesota's largest superfund site-: EPA contends, that DU did not get released into the environment, despite clear evidence to the contrary ( soil via sewer , air). Hence in EPA logic DU "clean" up is not part of the Superfund program at TCAAP. Neat! NRC contends no release in excess of their limits was found. With 350 supersacks of debris and soil of the demolished DU room awaiting disposal in Andrews, TX one can only wonder what this doublespeak means. Environmental crime in the US goes largely unpunished.
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== Demonstrated effect upon U.S. soldiers ==
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*[http://www.sfbayview.com/081804/Depleteduranium081804.shtml "A Death Sentence, Here and Abroad"], Leuren Moret
  
 
== SourceWatch Resources ==
 
== SourceWatch Resources ==

Revision as of 23:57, 12 December 2005

"The misnamed 'Depleted' Uranium is left after enriched uranium is separated from natural uranium in order to produce fuel for nuclear reactors. During this process, the fissionable isotope Uranium 235 is separated from uranium. The remaining uranium, which is 99.8% uranium 238 is misleadingly called 'depleted uranium'. While the term 'depleted' implies it isn't particularly dangerous, in fact, this waste product of the nuclear industry is 'conveniently' disposed of by producing deadly weapons." [1]

DU Penetrators

DU penetrators are inaccurately referred to as "weapons of mass destruction"(WMD):

However, this is misleading; While they are undeniably heinous and INDISCRIMINATE the comparison to ABC weapons exaggerates their effect and downplays the effect of WMD. DU penetrators are essentially "dirty bombs". Dirty bombs are referred to as "weapons of mass disruption" in nuclear science circles and emergency preparedness literature. This less alarmist term would be more accurate to use for DU weapons, while still acknowledging the undeniable disruptive effect it has on health and ecosystem.

  • The Uranium Medical Research Center is an information resource for so-called "depleted uranium" and other radiological activities. Their studies in Afghanistan are showing very high levels of "non-depleted" uranium in people, and bomb craters, there.[2]
  • "The Science of the Silver Bullet" -- Depleted uranium has been hailed as the military’s new silver bullet and condemned as Kosovo’s Agent Orange; Scientific American, 5 March 2001
  • A special investigation by Democracy Now! co-host Juan Gonzalez of the New York Daily News has found four of nine soldiers of the 442nd Military Police Company of the New York Army National Guard returning from Iraq tested positive for depleted uranium contamination. They are the first confirmed cases of inhaled depleted uranium exposure from the current Iraq conflict. After repeatedly being denied testing for depleted uranium from Army doctors, the soldiers contacted The News who paid to have them tested as part of their investigation.

In the U.S., it looks like uranium handling was controlled by the Dept. of Energy, at least until the "United States Enrichment Corporation's privatization (July 28, 1998) per USEC Privatization Act (Public Law 104-134, Sec 3109, paragraph (a)(3))."[3]

The U.S. Department of Energy "is committed to exploring the safe, beneficial use of depleted uranium and other materials resulting from conversion of depleted UF6 (e.g., fluorine and empty carbon steel cylinders) for the purposes of resource conservation and cost savings compared with disposal. Accordingly, a Depleted Uranium Uses Research and Development Program has been initiated. This program will explore the risks and benefits of several depleted uranium uses, including uses as a radiation shielding material, a catalyst, and a semi-conductor material in electronic devices."

Manufacture

"Alliant Techsystems or ATK is the largest supplier of all munitions to the U.S. Department of Defense, and works on many DoD contracts, including large and small caliber munitions employing depleted uranium penetrators" --ARMS TRADE RESOURCE CENTER, November 2000

The DU penetrators were manufactured by Nuclear Metals in Concord Massachusetts and shipped to TCAAP for ATK to assemble. Nuclear Metals is now the Starmet Corporation. [4]

At the Twin Cities Army Ammunition Plant (TCAAP) ATK said it used DU provided by the government to melt and cast DU for its penetrators ( Jim Persoon, NRC meeting 3/31/2004 Arden Hills, MN). And while clean up and decomissioning of ATK's license at TCAAP is still ongoing, Apil 2004, pollution elsewhere continues: Alliant Techsystems recently won new ammunition contracts worth $38 million, as published in the Minneapolis STAR TRIBUNE April 7, 2004 p. D2: Alliant Techsystems Inc., Edina, said it received new contracts in excess of $38 million from the U.S. Army's Armament Research Development and Engineering Center at the Picatinny Arsenal, N.J. Under the contracts, Alliant will provide 120 millimeter tactical ammunition for the Army's M1A1 main battle tanks. Deliveries will be completed by November 2005. The project manager of Maneuver Ammunition Systems manages the contract for the Army and Marine Corps.

As Alliant has removed all references to uranium or depleted uranium in its public notices, web pages and press releases, we can at this point only infer that the newest contracts are for uranium weapons or penetrates that contain uranium 238- until an investigative reporter picks up the story ...

DU was made into metal by Nuclear Metals in Concord Massachusetts. Nuclear Metals is now the Starmet Corporation. "But while defense contractors profit handsomely, their neighbors are exposed to radioactive waste. Starmet Corp. -- among the Army's largest supplier's of DU weapons -- dumped 400,000 pounds of uranium and heavy metals into an unlined holding pond in Concord, Massachusetts, polluting soil and groundwater. Faced with a massive cleanup, Starmet filed for bankruptcy last year -- leaving taxpayers with cleanup costs estimated at $50 million. Cleanup at the Twin Cities Army Ammunitions Plant in suburban Minneapolis, littered with DU shells manufactured by Alliant, is expected to cost $235 million." Hillary Johnson, Rolling Stone, October 2, 2003 The juxtaposition of "clean"up costs at Starmet (only DU ) and TCAAP ( many other contaminants) is misleading. Most of the cost of the" clean"- up at TCAAP isn't because of DU- it would be hard to get the Army to committ to a $ number for just the DU "clean" up.

In case you wonder why DU never turns up on Army or regulatory websites about TCAAP, such as EPA [5]- Minnesota Pollutin Control Agency MPCA doesnt even have a website on Minnesota's largest superfund site-: EPA contends, that DU did not get released into the environment, despite clear evidence to the contrary ( soil via sewer , air). Hence in EPA logic DU "clean" up is not part of the Superfund program at TCAAP. Neat! NRC contends no release in excess of their limits was found. With 350 supersacks of debris and soil of the demolished DU room awaiting disposal in Andrews, TX one can only wonder what this doublespeak means. Environmental crime in the US goes largely unpunished.

Demonstrated effect upon U.S. soldiers

SourceWatch Resources

External Links

Resources

===Reference Links on Depleted Uranium in ammunition and armor=== (copied from PRWatch Forum):

Articles & Commentary

1999

  • J.J. Richardson, "Depleted Uranium: The Invisible Threat," Mother Jones, June 23, 1999: "NATO used depleted uranium munitions in Kosovo. Now, critics are concerned that DU contamination may cause serious health problems for returning refugees."

2001

2002

2003

2004

2005

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