Depleted Uranium

Proposal for a Research Programme on Depleted Uranium: Introduction and Background

1.1 The MOD has funded extensive research over many years to address the advantages and disadvantages of Depleted Uranium (DU) munitions. Some of the more recent work has been listed in answer to a Parliamentary Question (PQ0679L) and this list is reproduced in Appendix A. The work, which has considered the military effectiveness of the ammunition and the health and environmental consequences associated with its use, has been complemented by extensive studies on the health and environmental consequences of the testing, development and battlefield deployment of DU munitions carried out in the United States of America (US). Based on its own research, that carried out in the US, and recent comprehensive studies on the health and environmental effects of DU carried out by a diverse range of both national and international, governmental and non-governmental bodies (1-4), the MOD is of the opinion that the health risks associated with the battlefield use of DU are minimal.

1.2. DU first surfaced as a Gulf health related issue in about 1993 when it was implicated in an alleged excess of birth defects and health problems amongst the children of Gulf veterans in 2 Mississippi National Guard Units. The claim was sensational: that 67% of the children born to parents who were Gulf veterans of these units had birth defects or adverse health effects. Despite a robust investigation which refuted the specific suggestion of an excess of birth defects or illness in this particular cohort (5), and another study which provided no evidence of a general increase in the incidence of birth defects in Gulf veterans’ children (6), allegations of an association between DU and birth defects continued (7,8).

1.3. The DU issue resurfaced again in early 2001 with suggestions (initially from Italy) that, after an extremely short latent period, DU was causing leukaemias in European soldiers who had deployed to the Balkans. The media highlighted the issue and the subsequent testing and health screening activity was of variable scientific rigour in both conduct and justification. Most studies were urine based assessments and all showed that veterans did not have raised levels of uranium (U). As a result of a meeting of the Committee of the Chiefs of Military Medical Services in NATO (COMEDS) in January 2001, mortality reviews were conducted, as were reviews of the index cases. The evidence shared across NATO and partner nations does not point to any excess illness or atypical disease in Balkans peacekeepers, or any evidence of excessive DU exposure.

1.4. From mid-January 2001 the pendulum swung back and the media began to report scientific opinion redressing the balance. Both the Lancet (9) and the British Medical Journal (BMJ) (10) published thoughtful editorials questioning the link between DU and actual rather than potential illness, leading to a response (11) addressing the BMJ editorial and a report by the US Institute of Medicine (IOM) (12).

1.5. The MOD, in recognition of its commitment to address veterans’ and public concerns, is considering a further programme of peer reviewed research using independent bodies wherever possible to respond to the concerns that have been raised and provide further scientific evidence. It is intended to involve the Research Councils as much as possible in the full programme.

1.6. This programme of research is based on the assumption that DU will remain in the UK inventory for the foreseeable future as an essential weapon for the defeat of heavy armour. With the advances being made in target hardening, there is a need for performance improvements that will extend the capability of those DU munitions currently available to the UK Armed Forces. Furthermore, the UK cannot ignore that DU ammunition will be available to, and deployed by, allies, coalition partners and potential aggressors in future conflicts where UK forces and personnel are present.

1.7. The research will aim to put the military use of DU into context by enhancing the data base upon which informed judgements are made when weighing the potential loss of life arising from not using DU munitions in battle and any potential longer term impact on human health and the environment resulting from its deployment. Some of the results of the research (e.g. on corrosion of DU munitions) will aid MOD in any future test-range decommissioning.

1.8. Generally, the results of the research will be submitted for publication in appropriate peer reviewed journals. The only exception to this will be the results of Operational Analysis (OA) and system performance research, which, if published in the open literature, could compromise future UK operations.

1.9. The following sections summarise MOD’s current state of knowledge on the military use of DU and the impact of its use on the environment and human health. Areas for further scientific study, to address veterans’ and public concern, are identified and appropriate research is proposed. The contents of each section are outlined below. Note, throughout the main body of this report, the research that we propose to carry out is described in text boxes.

1.10 The overall objective of the programme is to extend our knowledge on the effects of DU, particularly on humans and the environment, and where possible develop models that can be applied to a number of scenarios. Consequently, this research programme will aid risk assessment where the use of DU is needed to avoid compromising the safety of UK Forces or their effectiveness when operating against hostile forces.

1.11. Environmental and health issues are often addressed using a Source-Pathway-Target methodology in which a hazardous source material is brought into contact with a sensitive "target" (human, animal, plant, etc.) via one or more pathways. This approach is used in sections 3, 4 and 5.

Section 2 addresses military considerations relevant to the use of DU. It sets out the rationale leading to the adoption of this battle winning capability. Recognising that there has been a change in the role of the UK Armed Forces since DU came into service, the paper proposes that OA studies should be undertaken to assess the present and future scenarios in which DU will play a critical role. Studies are also proposed to assess whether recent technology advances are sufficient to develop techniques and systems with potential to replace the current DU based system.

Section 3 provides a brief overview of the characteristics of the raw material used to manufacture DU munitions and outlines the radiological and chemical toxicity properties of the source material. The paper addresses the processes by which DU can enter the environment as a result of military activity and proposes work to enhance understanding of contamination issues at the point of firing, the processes involved when munitions impact both hard and soft targets and the corrosion and dissolution of the residues from impacts and fires involving DU.

Section 4 addresses the mechanisms whereby DU munitions, fragments, dust and combustion products are transported in land, water and air environments. The potential pathways from the DU source to a "target" are outlined and previous modelling studies are discussedr. Areas for further study, to enhance understanding of environmental transport and its consequences, are proposed. Previous work to monitor DU battlefield and firing sites is identified and reference quantities and standards against which environmental contamination levels can be assessed are noted.

Section 5addresses the effects of DU on health and the environment. The paper addresses the health implications of handling, inhaling and ingesting DU and also the effects of wound contamination and retained shrapnel, identifying areas for further study to address the concerns raised by veterans. The paper also addresses the value of biokinetic modelling to aid in the prediction of the health effects of DU exposure.

Section 6considers the operational use of DU, outlining health and safety aspects relevant to handling, transport and storage. It considers potential hazards from pre-deployment and operational use procedures and discusses post-deployment issues relating to clean-up and monitoring activities. The paper also identifies a requirement for continuous knowledge capture, literature reviews and the peer reviewed publishing of information.

1.12 The various items of work are linked as shown in the diagram below.

1.13. A list of References is included.

1.14. Appendix B has been included to address health, safety and environmental standards, guidance and legislation and site decommissioning issues, that are germane to the military use of DU ammunition but which do not fall within the area of research. Nevertheless, the outcome of the research programme may impact upon them.

Last Updated: 14 Mar 02