A wealth of subsequent reports did not change the tune. Ingested DU dust can also pose both a radioactive and toxicity risk. July 1990 report prepared for the US Army Production Base Modernization Activity at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey considered the use of DU shells, heavy metal, radioactive, versus not radioactive tungsten shells in the Gulf War. When DU is used in combat, Exposure to military personnel may be greater than those allowed in peacetime, and could be locally significant on the battlefield. Cleanup of penetrators and fragments, as well as impact site decontamination may be required.
Public relations are also easier with tungsten ammunition, according to the report.
Special Operations spend our tax money on making us into DU ignorants, and then poisoning and killing us and fellow human beings. However, aerosol DU exposure to soldiers on the battlefield could be significant with potential radiological and toxicological effects . These health impacts may be impossible to reliably quantify even with additional detailed studies. A secret September 1990 memo from the Department of the Navy outlined the need to make Saudi Arabia aware of the effect of DU weapons. Additionally, the spent rounds emit low level Alpha radiation which can be washed off after contact, but prolonged exposure could cause illness .