Depleted Uranium

Proposal for a Research Programme on Depleted Uranium: APPENDIX B

B.1 Standards Guidance and Legislation

B.1.1. MOD is aware that there is, and always has been, a degree of controversy over the effects of ionising radiation and what might be considered an "acceptable" radiation dose. Therefore, MOD considers it prudent to follow the international consensus view as expressed by the International Commission on Radiological Protection (ICRP) and endorsed for use within the European Union (EU) and UK by the European Commission (EC) and the National Radiological Protection Board (NRPB) respectively.

B.1.2. The ICRP is a distinguished body established to advance for public benefit the science of radiological protection. ICRP recommendations form the basis of EC and UK legislation. ICRP has established a system of dose limitation (B1,B2) that has been introduced into UK law in the Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999 (IRR 99) (B3) and its predecessor legislation (B4). IRR 99 requires that radiation exposure is kept as low as reasonably practicable and the UK national dose limit for workers exposed to ionising radiation is set at 20 mSv per calendar year and for members of the public at 1mSv per calendar year. These legislative requirements have been incorporated into Joint Services Publication (JSP) 392 Instructions for Radiation Protection (B5) and are applicable both at home and overseas. The NRPB has published (B6) Generalised Derived Limits (GDL) for uranium (U) radioisotopes in food, water and the environment that could deliver a radiation dose of 1 mSv to the age group, which would receive the greatest dose. These values are accepted and used by the MOD to determine when more site-specific hazard assessments should be undertaken. These are required when environmental monitoring gives results that are greater than 10% of the GDL.

A.1.3. U is also controlled on the basis of its chemical toxicity using Occupational Exposure Standards (OESs). An OES is set at a level at which (based on current scientific knowledge) there is no indication of risk to the health of workers exposed by inhalation day after day. Such standards are divided into long and short-term exposure limits. These limits are given as concentrations of hazardous substances in the air expressed as time weighted averages over 8 hour and 15 minute reference periods respectively. U compounds (natural, soluble) are assigned limits as follows: 0.2 mg.m^-3 8 hour time weighted average and 0.6 mg.m^-3 15 minute time weighed average (B7). Such values have not changed over the last decade. If exposure to a substance that has an OES is reduced at least to that level, then adequate control is considered to have been achieved.

B.2.1. UK legislation provides guidance for the protection of workers and the general public from radiological and chemical hazards, including those from DU. This legislation is applied throughout the MOD through a hierarchy of information. High level guidance is promulgated in the form of JSPs, which set out the broad regulatory framework covering the use of all hazardous material. These are supplemented by Defence Radiological Protection Services (DRPS) Fact Sheets which are more widely available and give very basic information on the potential hazards and the precautions that may need to be taken. JSPs are cross-referenced in the DRPS Fact Sheets.

B.2.2. Flowing from the JSPs and DRPS fact sheets are Explosive Storage and Transport Committee (ESTC) guidance papers, which provide more specific advice on management procedures associated with the operational use of DU. Senior commanders and base commanders at locations where DU is stored typically use ESTC guidance papers. At a working level, guidance is promulgated to front line troops via Technical Ammunition Bulletins (for tank ammunition) and Safety Statements (for Phalanx ammunition). These are supplemented by local standing orders which cover operating procedures at specific locations, such as on board a ship. Manuals which detail maintenance procedures for aircraft with DU counterbalance weights cover aircraft maintenance.

B.2.3. A new chapter is being written for JSP 392 - Instructions for Radiation Protection (B5) to bring together safety arrangements for the use of Depleted Uranium (DU). DU advice has been produced by the DRPS in their Fact Sheets 15 (B8) and 16 (B9). Further and more detailed information on MOD’s DU safety instructions is available on the MOD Web Site.

B.3.1 In the UK there is a need to have a decommissioning plan for MOD sites and facilities where DU has been fired. Army Training Estates, has funded DRPS to undertake a land contamination survey at the Kirkcudbright site. The Ministry of Defence is also participating in a project called Safegrounds determining best practice guidance for the management of contaminated land on nuclear and defence sites.

B1. ICRP Publication 60. 1990 Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection 21(1-3), 1991;

B2. ICRP Publication 26. Recommendations of the International Commission on Radiological Protection 1(3), 1977;

B3. The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1999. SI 3232, 1999;

B4. The Ionising Radiations Regulations 1985. SI 1333, 1985;

B5. Joint Services Publication 392. Instructions for Radiation Protection, 2000. (Compact Disc Edition);

B6. Generalised Derived Limits for Radioisotopes of Polonium, Lead, Radium and Uranium. Documents of the NRPB 11(2), 2000;

B7. Health and Safety Executive. Occupational Exposure Limits 2000: Guidance Note EH40/2000. HSE Books, ISBN 0717617300;

B8. DRPS Fact Sheet No 15 – Depleted Uranium dated 1 Aug 2000;

B9. DRPS Fact Sheet No 16 – Depleted Uranium Rounds dated Dec 1998.

Last Updated: 14 Mar 02