Still dangerous after 30 years - Uranium particles from DU weapons

[madokie]

No telling the actual number of tons of DU we scattered in Iraq and Afghanistan since gulf war 1

Uranium particles formed from exploding DU munitions are highly persistent in the environment, scientists have found. They are still hazardous after 30 years in soils or dumps and even their corrosion products are durable minerals.

Campaigners have long argued that DU residues from conflict present a long-term risk to civilians.

This is due in part to the rate of radioactive decay from the isotopes in DU - and indeed DU gets more radioactive for thousands of years due to the in-growth of radioactive decay products.

But as two new studies reveal, it is also because of the rate at which DU dust particles and intact or fragmentary DU penetrators corrode in the environment - and the corrosion products.

http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/2261643/still_dangerous_after_30_years_uranium_particles_from_du_weapons.html

What hath we wroth. My heart aches for the people who live in these regions who will be living with this poison for years to come.

[dixiegrrrrl]

1. Not to mention the thousands of US military

who are having symptoms.
The US went to fantastic lengths to avoid having to deal with "gulf War syndrome" and I am sure they are not
helping our vets who are sick from Iraq, and don't forget they are using the crap in Afghanistan.

[madokie]

3. Mybad for not mentioning these too

One of the guys I used to work with Son was in gulf war 1. His son was a hard working young kid of 21 when he was sent over there. Worked with his Dad finishing concrete. When he came home he was but a shadow of his former self, no drive, couldn't do the work, pretty much washed up and we do believe it was his exposure to DU. He lived 9 years upon his return, just wasted away. He didn't understand what was happening to himself but felt it was due to breathing in the dust from the DU munitions they used so much of. It was a very sad situation for my friend to see his Son change like this. Of course the VA, by extension the Government, denied it all
Some have suggested it was the smoke from the oil fields but he wasn't in that area at all.

The more we learn Uranium is some nasty shit, Depleted Uranium munitions for sure.

[PDJane]

2. Afghanistan and Iraq are having huge numbers of birth defects from this stuff.

Non-viable babies. Sick children, women and men. Damage to our service personnel. Damage to the environment. It was a stupid way to use the stuff.

[madokie]

4. The saddest part is its still being used as projectiles

[Wilms]

5. ^

[lovuian]

6. where are those that said DU was safe

We nuked Iraq ....and we nuked our own troops .....
Iraq War was just like the Vietnam War ....devastating for this country and its children as well as Iraq

Where did all the money go? and we can't even account for billions of it

[madokie]

7. In Vietnam they poisoned us with Agent Orange

I have health issues that I'm positive is because of my exposure.
It sucks that they lied to us to get our asses there then poisoned us and now fight us every step of the way for compensation. Same as they're doing to the kids of today's war.
War sucks.

[Gravitycollapse]

8. Depleted uranium is dangerous because of chemical toxicity, not ionizing radiation.

You could stand next to a chunk of depleted uranium for an indefinite amount of time and be fine.

The danger of depleted uranium is brought out when it is pulverized or aerosolized and introduced into the human body.