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See also "What does the US Government know about DU?

FOIA - US Navy knew of DU risks - May 14, 1984 doc.

Los Alamos and D.N.A. memos

Depleted Uranium (DU) Munitions
COL J. Edgar Wakayama
OSD/DOT&E/CS
August, 2002

Read this report for the military's own view on risks to health and the environment.

Download PDF version of PowerPoint Presentation

Traprock site ( 2.6 mg) - http://www.grassrootspeace.org/wakayama2.pdf
Traprock has a copy on its site in the event that it 'disappears' from DTIC site. Remember the Futures Market program that DOD pulled from its site?

People with low bandwidth may prefer the RTF file (easy down load - test only) http://www.grassrootspeace.org/wakayama2.rtf

Official download - Defense Technical Information Center - http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2002training/wakayama2.pdf

Presented at the The 5th Annual Testing and Training Symposium & Exhibition
19 - 22 August 2002 (table of contents) http://www.dtic.mil/ndia/2002training/

Overview

Among its warnings, the report recognizes that it is not safe to leave shell fragments in the body as per US military policy; warns that uranium would be solubilized and redistribute to various tissues as early as one day after implantation; highlights the special risks faced by children in the battle area, with risks to water and food supplies; recognizes risks of cancer, lung fibrosis, and DNA damage from DU deposited in bones.

The report recommends health monitoring of children, soldiers and civilians; epidemiological monitoring of cancer incidents of soldiers (what about civilians and soldiers' children?), including urine uranium testing, kidney function tests and neurological evaluations; removal of heavily contaminated soil in areas populated with civilians; and long term water and milk sampling in imact site.

One Recommendation is missing. Stop the production, stockpiling and use of 'depleted' uranium munitions.

Select Sections (see links above for entire report)

Emerging Medical Management Issues:

-During the Persian Gulf War, a number of
allied military personnel internalized DU
fragments as a result of several friendly fire
incidents (only the allied forces possessed
DU munitions).
-The three major routes of human exposure
to DU are:

a. Wounding by shrapnel,
b. Inhalation (lungs and thoracic lymph nodes),
c. Ingestion (most among children playing and
eating contaminated soil and contaminated
drinking water and food in the community).

1. At that time, existing DoD fragments
removal guidelines indicated that shrapnel be
remained in place unless they cause future
health threat.
2. Because DU is still radioactive, studies
were performed in rats with embedded DU
fragments.
3. Indicated that uranium would be
solubilized and redistribute to various tissues
as early as one day after implantation.
4. As expected, the highest uranium
concentrations were in kidneys and bone.
5. Other tissues also showed significantly
higher levels.
6. Urine samples containing uranium
showed mutagenic as determined by the
Ames test.
7. The cultured human stem bone cell line
with DU also transformed the cells to
become carcinogenic.
8. Because of these findings, there are
proposed changes in the DU shrapnel
removal policy. For example, it is now
advised that DU fragments greater than 1 cm
be removed unless the medical risk is
determined to be too grave.
9. The other significant changes include a
procedure to detect the presence of DU in the
metal fragments and treatment guidelines.

Emerging Environmental Concerns Include:

– A significant exposure to DU among
children playing in the impact sites by
ingesting heavily-contaminated soil,
– Slow leaching of DU in local water
supplies over years,
– Consuming DU contaminated food
sources (animals and plants).

Radiation Health Effects:

– Inhalation exposure (major effect): Lungs and
thoracic lymph nodes;
– The lifetime risk of lung cancer in general
population: 1:250 for non-smoker, and 1:6 for
cigarette smokers;
– Soldiers on battlefield: Estimated lung cancer:
<1:40,000 (The Royal Society Report, March 2002)
– The most heavily exposed soldier: Estimated lung
cancer for the most worst-case to be about 1:15,
but more likely 1:1,000 surviving in a struck tank
(The Royal Society Report, March 2002);
– DU can be deposited in bone causing DNA damage
by the effects of the alpha particles;
– A large inhalation of dust (without radiations):
Long-term respiratory effects (Lung fibrosis, in
addition to risk of lung cancer).
– Immune deficiency: Negligible effect (The Royal
Society Report, March 2002);
– An extra risk of death from leukemia and other
cancers: Insignificant and much lower than that of
lung cancer (The Royal Society Report, March
2002).

Future Studies/Recommendations:

a. Monitoring of kidney function and urine
uranium levels among children,
peacekeepers, and inhabitants.
b. Epidemiological monitoring of cancer
incidents among soldiers surviving
during friendly fire and soldiers working for
protracted periods in heavily contaminated
vehicles, including urine uranium testing,
kidney function tests, and neurological
evaluations.
c. Heavily contaminated soil should be
removed if the area is to be populated
with civilians.
d. Long-term annual water and milk
sampling for DU levels in the impact site.

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Thank you to "Amarierosa," c/o DU Watch Yahoo Groups, for bringing this to our attention.

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Page created February 13, 2004 by Charlie Jenks

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