Some details on Depleted Uranium

 DEPLETED URANIUM IS A ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD

IT IS A CANCER CAUSING PRODUCT

Much talk is occurring about the UK sending depleted Uranium tank rounds to Ukraine. Russia for one is making this an issue because of the environmental and health risks from these munitions. So what do we know, first this is a waste product from nuclear energy industry. It has very little commercial use due to its toxicity. I know this is regulated, and not easy to obtain. At one time, flint lock rifle enthusiasts used to add this to their frizzens to increase the sparks generated for ignition. It is a very hard and dense heavy metal.

The military has been using this material in its armor piercing penetrater rounds. It is slightly better performing than the tungsten used in Russian and other countries military rounds. The advantage is that it is a waste product with very little other use and is less costly than tungsten.

The negative effects can most likely be encountered by tank crews themselves. When such a round is fired, it produces heat and friction which then disperses micro particles into the air and when breathed, can be carcinogens.

Then when this round actually explodes it turns the spent round into thousands of particles that are dispersed into the air and into the soil and water of the battlefield. It will remain an environmental threat far into the future. There are reports of serious increases in cancer in the middle east due to the use of these rounds in the past wars.

So far, this has not been banned as a weapon, but most likely should be, especially since there are alternatives that are close to being as effective.

We can assume that since most of these rounds have been used in foreign battles, it is of little concern of those actually using the rounds. The crews who are exposed to these rounds are at risk.

So, hopefully that will give a little back ground when this topic is brought up and may be another trigger for escalation in Ukraine.