DU is in the spotlight because of a recent scientific peer-reviewed article by Wise and colleagues (Particulate depleted uranium is cytotoxic and clastogenic to human lung cells, Chem Res Toxicol. 2007 May; 20(5):815-20. Epub 2007 Apr 14) that confirms DU is a carcinogen and mutagen.

In the face of increased scientific evidence of the harmful effects of DU and at a time when nano particles of DU can be found in all parts of the globe, when DU weapons are being used in Iraq and Afghanistan, there are renewed calls for governments to condemn military use of DU.

So what is the US Department of Defence (DOD) response to this latest scientific evidence that as a carcinogenic and mutagenic agent, depleted uranium weapons disproportionately affects children? What is their response to evidence that DU weapons violate the Geneva Conventions and qualify as weapons of mass destruction?

You guessed it:nothing.

In the face of considerable evidence to the contrary, the US DOD maintains that DU is a safe substance with no significant adverse affects on human health. This irrational response reminds one of the tobacco industry’s claims for many decades that smoking is good for you. The science on the harmful affects of smoking, they claimed, was not conclusive.

In the case of depleted uranium the problem with waiting until scientific research proves its harmful effects “conclusively”, is that it will be too late. DU munitions become aerosolized in the micro to nanometer range and with a half-life of 4.2 billion years; there is no possible way to decontaminate the environment.

IICPH has been sounding the alarm bells to this environmental and humanitarian disaster since their use in the First Gulf War. Dr. Rosalie Bertell is a featured speaker in an important documentary on the subject titled “Poison DUst”, available from IICPH.

As we are situated in Canada, IICPH has sent a copy of this documentary to the Canadian Minister of Defence, Peter McKay, as well Prime Minister Stephen Harper, and to parliamentary opposition defence critics. A minimal response from the Government of Canada would be to condemn the use of depleted uranium weapons and to make DU contamination testing mandatory for all veterans returning from Afghanistan where these weapons have been used. A better response would be to follow Belgium’s lead and declare a unilateral ban on depleted uranium weapons. IICPH urges our partners and supporters to contact their political representatives and implore them to follow Belgium’s example.

http://www.peace.ca/depleteduranium.htm
http://www.iicph.org/du_qa

POISON DUST, the powerful DVD about harmful depleted uranium and its connection to the “Gulf War Syndrome” features Rosalie Bertell and Helen Caldicott among others. It is available at iicph.org/poison-dust.

We have found it to be very clear and understandable. Audiences have responded with intelligent questions which leads to our being able to explain the part inhaled uranium plays in disease and thus the part played by nanoparticles of radioisotopes produced by uranium facilities, including emissions from nuclear power plants.