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UN concerned about military's use of Uranium |
UN First Committee Passes Depleted Uranium Resolution in Landslide Vote
Late last night the UN First Committee passed, by an overwhelming majority, a resolution highlighting concerns over the military use of uranium.
The resolution entitled 'Effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium'1 was passed by 122 votes to six at the UN First Committee in New York; with 35 abstentions. The resolution urges UN member states to re-examine the health hazards
posed by the use of uranium weapons.
The resolution was drafted by the Movement of Non Aligned States and
submitted by Indonesia. It requests that states and international
bodies submit a report on DU to the UN General Assembly during next
year's session; depleted uranium weapons will also feature on the
Assembly's agenda. A second vote confirming the resolution will take
place early next year.
"This is a good result for our campaign," said ICBUW Coordinator
Doug Weir. "States around the world are no longer content to accept
the claims by the users of these weapon systems that exposure to
uranium dust is not linked to ill health. The last few years have
seen great advances in our understanding of the health hazards posed
by depleted uranium and it's high time that the international
standards caught up with this research."
The vote comes after a year of intense campaigning by ICBUW and its
member organisations, and follows calls by the European Parliament
for a ban.2 In March this year, Belgium became the first country in
the world to introduce a domestic ban on the use of uranium in all
conventional weapon systems.3 The decision by Brussels to take this
step sent a clear message to all NATO members and users of uranium
weapons that the continued use of chemically toxic and radioactive
weapon systems is incompatible with international humanitarian legal
standards.
How the voting went:
For: 122 countries (including Japan)
Against: 6 countries (US, UK, France, Netherlands, Czech Republic,
Israel)
Abstentions: 35 countries
Full text (select your language of choice):
http://www.un.org/Docs/journal/asp/ws.asp?m=A/C.1/62/L.18/rev.1
Ends
Notes for editors
1. 'Effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing
depleted uranium' A/C.1/62/L.18/Rev.1
2. European Parliament Makes Fourth Call for DU Ban: http://
www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/a/89.html
3. Belgium bans depleted uranium weapons and armour: http://
www.bandepleteduranium.org/en/a/118.html
Contacts
For interviews please contact ICBUW Coordinator Doug Weir on +44 (0)
161 2738293
ICBUW
The International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons is a global
coalition of 91 members in 25 countries. It campaigns for a ban on
the use, transport, manufacture, sale and export of all conventional
weapon systems containing uranium. It also seeks compensation for
communities affected by the use of uranium weapons and the
environmental remediation of such sites. For more information on the
campaign, please visit: www.bandepleteduranium.org
What is depleted uranium and how is it used in weapons?
Depleted Uranium (DU) is nuclear waste. Uranium naturally occurs as
three different isotopes U234, U235 and U238. Isotopes are atoms of
the same element that have different numbers of neutrons but the same
number of protons. This means that they behave in the same way
chemically, but different isotopes release different amounts and
types of radiation.
The radioactive properties of DU, which is chiefly uranium 238,
differ from those of uranium 235. Unlike U238, U235 is fissionable.
This means that it is so unstable that firing neutrons at it can
produce a self-sustaining series of nuclear reactions, releasing huge
amounts of energy. This is the basis of nuclear weapons and nuclear
power. However, before U235 is used, it needs to be concentrated as
it only makes up a small proportion of naturally occurring uranium,
around 0.7%. U238 makes up more than 99% of natural uranium and is
less radioactive. After natural uranium has had most of the U235
removed from it, it is called 'depleted uranium' i.e. uranium
depleted in the isotope U235. Each kilo of reactor ready enriched
uranium produced leaves you with 7kg of DU.
Depleted Uranium itself is a chemically toxic and radioactive
compound, which is used in armour piercing munitions because of its
very high density. It is 1.7 times denser than lead, giving DU
weapons increased range and penetrative power. They belong to a class
of weapons called kinetic energy penetrators. The part of the weapon
that is made of DU is called a penetrator: this is a long dart
weighing more than four kilograms in the largest examples: it is
neither a tip nor a coating. The penetrator is usually an alloy of DU
and a small amount of another metal such as titanium and molybdenum.
These give it extra strength and resistance to corrosion.
Who owns DU weapons and who has used them?
At least 18 countries are thought to have weapon systems with DU in
their arsenals. These include: UK, US, France, Russia, Greece,
Turkey, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan,
Pakistan, Oman, Thailand, China, India and Taiwan. Many of them were
sold DU ammunition by the US while others, including France, Russia,
Pakistan and India are thought to have developed it independently.
Governments have often initially denied using DU because of public
health concerns. Estimates of DU munitions expended run to 280 tonnes
in the Gulf War of 1991 by US and UK forces; and 14 tonnes in the
Balkans in the latter half of the 1990s by NATO. There was further
large-scale use in the invasion of Iraq in 2003 but there is little
data on this.
It is suspected that the US also used DU in Afghanistan in 2001,
although both the US and UK governments have denied using it there.
Leaked US transport documents suggest that US forces in Afghanistan
had DU weapons, and the continued use of A10 'Tankbuster' aircraft
in the country indicates that DU continues to be used.
Health Hazards of Uranium Weapons
There are three chief hazards associated with DU: its chemical
toxicity, radioactivity and the effects of fine metal particles, or
fumes, on the body. Both of these hazardous properties are
exacerbated by the fact that DU is pyrophoric. A pyrophoric material
is one that oxidizes rapidly and can burst into flame at low
temperatures in the proximity of oxygen. As the projectile hits a
hard target, the DU burns at temperatures of between 3000°C and 6000°
C. As it oxidizes, it turns into a fine dust, which can be blown for
long distances from the place of the impact; this dust can then be
inhaled by soldiers and civilians alike.
We do not as yet understand the full impact that fine particles of DU
oxide may have on the human body. We do not have an accurate internal
dose assessment; we have little information on the precise
distribution and dynamics of internalised particles, and we are still
lacking a complete understanding of the mechanisms by which damage to
cells and organs occurs. Despite this, there is mounting scientific
evidence from both animal, and in vitro studies that suggest
deleterious effects on human health from inhaled DU particles.
Animal and cellular studies have shown clear evidence of the
carcinogenic (transforming healthy cells into cancerous ones),
neurotoxic and immuno-toxic effects of DU (the immune system defends
the body from Infections and even some types of cancerous cells); as
well as its ability to damage the reproductive system and foetus
(which may cause birth defects). Some data also suggests that uranium
can directly damage the DNA and enzyme proteins in living cells. Many
scientific and medical papers on the chemical and radiological
toxicities of uranium have been published.
Assessing the precise mechanisms by which DU may damage the human
body Is made more difficult because both Its chemical toxicity and
radioactivity can cause similar effects, such as the generation of
free radicals within the body.
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