But is there really a radiological weapons problem?
Many high-profile reports maintain that the use of DU is not a significant threat to health. For example the Euratom report concludes that “on available information, exposure to DU could not produce any detectable health effects under realistic assumptions of the doses that would be received.”[16], and the World Health Organisation states that, “General screening or monitoring for possible depleted uranium-related health effects in populations living in conflict areas where depleted uranium has been used is not necessary”[17]. None of these bodies however, have conducted original field work or tested victims exposed to DU. Their information is based upon simulated models and they refer only to studies made on workers exposed to low concentrations of uranium dust in uranium ore. They have taken as a "given" the dose-limits set by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and have applied them to internal as well as external radiation, ignoring the more recent research in radiation biology and human epidemiology[18]. It is now known that even one particle of alpha radiation can cause damage at a cellular level[19]. Veterans testing positive for DU have also showed significant chromosome damage and a variety of symptoms which accord with the known effects of internal radiation and chemical toxicity. Such symptoms are increasing in all regions which have been contaminated with DU. At the very least this alarm should be taken seriously by governments and world health bodies. Ironically, the hazard of DU is frequently mentioned in military reports which regard it as “a low level alpha radiation emitter which is linked to cancer when exposures are internal, [and] chemical toxicity causing kidney damage.”[20]
Many high-profile reports maintain that the use of DU is not a significant threat to health. For example the Euratom report concludes that “on available information, exposure to DU could not produce any detectable health effects under realistic assumptions of the doses that would be received.”[16], and the World Health Organisation states that, “General screening or monitoring for possible depleted uranium-related health effects in populations living in conflict areas where depleted uranium has been used is not necessary”[17]. None of these bodies however, have conducted original field work or tested victims exposed to DU. Their information is based upon simulated models and they refer only to studies made on workers exposed to low concentrations of uranium dust in uranium ore. They have taken as a "given" the dose-limits set by International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and have applied them to internal as well as external radiation, ignoring the more recent research in radiation biology and human epidemiology[18]. It is now known that even one particle of alpha radiation can cause damage at a cellular level[19]. Veterans testing positive for DU have also showed significant chromosome damage and a variety of symptoms which accord with the known effects of internal radiation and chemical toxicity. Such symptoms are increasing in all regions which have been contaminated with DU. At the very least this alarm should be taken seriously by governments and world health bodies. Ironically, the hazard of DU is frequently mentioned in military reports which regard it as “a low level alpha radiation emitter which is linked to cancer when exposures are internal, [and] chemical toxicity causing kidney damage.”[20]