A/63/170

United Nations

General Assembly

Distr.: General
24 July 2008
English
Original: Arabic/English/French/
Spanish

Sixty-third session
Item 91 (p) of the provisional agenda*
General and complete disarmament

Effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions
containing depleted uranium
Report of the Secretary-General

Summary
The present report contains views of Member States and relevant international
organizations on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing
depleted uranium. The Secretary-General has, to date, received 17 reports from
Governments and from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the World
Health Organization.

* A/63/150.

08-43880 (E) 130808 140808

*0843880*

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Contents
Page

I.

Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3

II.

Replies received from Governments . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3

Andorra . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3

Argentina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

3

Austria . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Belgium . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Bosnia and Herzegovina . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

4

Canada . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

7

Cuba . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

8

Finland . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12

Germany . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

12

Japan . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

13

Mali . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14

Netherlands . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

14

Qatar . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15

Serbia . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

15

Spain . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

17

Replies received from agencies and organs of the United Nations system . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

International Atomic Energy Agency . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

20

World Health Organization . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

22

III.

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I. Introduction
1.
The General Assembly, in paragraph 1 of its resolution 62/30, requested the
Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States and relevant international
organizations on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing
depleted uranium, and to submit a report on the subject to the General Assembly at
its sixty-third session.
2.
On 15 February 2008, a note verbale was sent to Member States requesting
them to submit their reports by 31 May 2008. The Office for Disarmament Affairs
also submitted a request to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the
United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) and the World Health
Organization (WHO).
3.
To date, the Secretary-General has received 17 replies from Governments,
IAEA and WHO, which are reproduced below. Additional replies received from
Member States will be issued as addenda to the present report.
4.
Owing to the page limit for the report, information of a general scientific
nature contained in national submissions has not been reproduced. The full texts of
the submissions and additional information attached thereto are available for
consultation at the Office for Disarmament Affairs.

II. Replies received from Governments
Andorra
[Original: French]
[1 March 2008]
Andorra has no army and possesses no weapons of mass destruction. The
Government of Andorra condemns the use of any type of weapon of mass
destruction.

Argentina
[Original: Spanish]
[1 July 2008]
1.
To date, various agencies have done studies on the secondary effects of the use
of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium on the health of the
population and on the environment. The studies describe specific scenarios in which
the risk to the population could be significant, and they recommend precautionary
measures in the areas in question.
2.
These studies recommended more in-depth comprehensive measurements and
analyses, but they were never done. Nevertheless, it is believed that the information
in the studies provides a sufficient basis for questioning the continued use of such
armaments and ammunitions until their secondary effects are reliably determined.
3.
It is our belief that the precaution should be taken to ban further use of
armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium as long as it is not known

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how they may affect the health of the population and the environment. Once that
moratorium has been established, a group of governmental experts could be
convened to consider the subject comprehensively.

Austria
[Original: English]
[15 April 2008]
Austria does not possess any weapons, armaments or ammunition containing
depleted uranium. With regard to the possible effects of the use of armaments and
ammunitions containing depleted uranium Austria is guided by the relevant
research/studies undertaken by the World Health Organization (WHO).

Belgium
[Original: French]
[6 June 2008]
1.
Pursuant to the Belgian Act of 11 May 2007 prohibiting depleted uranium
weapons systems, which supplemented the Weapons Act, inert munitions and
armour plating containing depleted uranium or any other type of industrial uranium
are now classified as proscribed weapons. The Act was published in the Moniteur
belge of 20 June 2007 and will enter into force two years later, on 20 June 2009.
2.
Parliamentary hearings with contributions by scientific experts were held
before the Act was adopted. Various points of view were expressed regarding
assessment of the risks to health and to the environment posed by the use of cluster
munitions. The Belgian legislature in the end made a political judgement, taking
into account the absence of scientific consensus on the effects of depleted uranium
while also applying the precautionary principle that calls for a cautious approach in
the absence of full scientific certainty.
3.
Belgium will closely follow all developments in the scientific analysis of the
risks associated with the use of depleted uranium weapons systems and is ready to
provide the United Nations with any necessary clarification of the definitions, aims
and modalities of the Belgian Act of 11 May 2007.

Bosnia and Herzegovina
[Original: English]
[24 April 2008]
Background
1.
Uranium ammunition was used in the Bosnia and Herzegovina war against the
forces of the Army of the Republika Srpska on 5 August 1994, and on 22 September
1994, as well as in the period from 20 August to 14 September 2005. A total of
10,800 pieces of ammunition were fired, which corresponds to approximately
2.9 tons of uranium. In 1999, the United States of America officially recognized use
of this ammunition in Bosnia and Herzegovina.

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2.
UNEP conducted a mission in Bosnia and Herzegovina from 12 to 24 October
2002, visiting 14 locations. Of the 14 locations examined, the presence of depleted
uranium in the soil was detected at 3 locations, where almost 300 points of
contamination were found.
3.
UNEP experts selected the locations as potential spots of activity involving
ammunition with depleted uranium by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization
(NATO) forces during the Bosnia and Herzegovina war, on the basis of information
from the local authorities, incomplete NATO data on the places of activity and
previous examinations. The results and analyses of the results obtained from the
field and laboratory work were presented in the publication “Depleted uranium in
Bosnia and Herzegovina: post-conflict environment assessment”, issued in May
2003. The field and laboratory work found the presence of remnants of ammunition
containing depleted uranium at three locations, specifically at the technical institute
in Hadzici, at the Zunovnica barracks and at the artillery weapons depot in Han
Pijesak. The publication also contains recommendations intended for the relevant
State institutions for further action related to depleted uranium on the territory of
Bosnia and Herzegovina.
4.
Taking into account the administrative structure of Bosnia and Herzegovina,
the official data from the competent health ministries of the Federation of Bosnia
and Herzegovina and the Republika Srpska are presented separately.
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina
5.
The Federal Civil Protection Administration made an action plan in 2003
aimed at measuring radioactive radiation and harmful waste on the territory of the
Federation, which was adopted by the Government.
6.
From 1 September to 6 November 2003, experts from the Public Health
Institute of the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Centre for Protection against
Radiation, an integral part of the Federal Civil Protection Administration took field
measurements and collected samples for laboratory analysis at 37 locations in the
Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina. The results of the field and laboratory work
confirmed the existence of radiological contamination at two locations only, the
technical institute in Hadzici and the Zunovnica barracks. Both cases involved
remnants of ammunition containing depleted uranium.
7.
The field work at the technical institute in Hadzici found some 200 spots of
local contamination with depleted uranium. According to the UNEP mission data,
one part of the ammunition containing depleted uranium was picked up, removed
and stored outside of Bosnia and Herzegovina, while the other part was stored at a
temporary depot of radioactive materials in the Federation. The ammunition
compiled during the fieldwork of the RHB Unit of the Federal Civil Protection
Administration was stored at a temporary depot of radioactive materials in the
Federation.
8.
The Public Health Institute of the Federation conducted tests to measure the
presence of uranium isotopes in the waters in the Hadzici area during 2004 and
2005. In 2007, a three-year project entitled “Radiological monitoring of Hadzici”
was approved with a view to obtaining data on the potential presence of depleted
uranium in the Hadzici area and making an assessment of the potential risk to public
health.

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9.
Owing to the presence of depleted uranium on the territory of Hadzici
municipality, and its known soil, water and air contamination potential, thus
harming human health through inhaling, direct contact or ingestion, the Public
Health Institute proposed that periodic screenings be performed on a sample of
approximately 5 per cent of the population of Hadzici municipality in relation to the
consequences of the presence of depleted uranium. A project proposal entitled
“Screening of the population of the Hadzici municipality for consequences of the
presence of ionizing radiation” was approved in 2007, followed by more pilot
research. As the data from the regular health statistics did not indicate any increased
prevalence of malignant neoplasm on the territory of Hadzici municipality, an
additional examination of the medical documentation at the Hadzici health centre
was conducted. After the statistical processing of the results, the expert will
recommend whether a need exists for further research concerning the presence of
depleted uranium and its potential threat to public health.
10. No additional action was taken in the area of the Zunovnica barracks, because
the terrain is mined and access is very risky. A full identification has never been
done of all locations that have been exposed to ammunition containing depleted
uranium or bear remnants of such ammunition (mined terrain, bullets deep in the
ground, etc.). However, the presence of depleted uranium in the environment of
Bosnia and Herzegovina was confirmed beyond any doubt, and its impact on both
the environment and human health, today and in the future, cannot be assessed at
present except partially for the territory of Hadzici municipality.
Republika Srpska
11. The headquarters of the Republika Srpska Army submitted to the Government
of the Republika Srpska the expert report from the Nuclear Science Institute of the
Federal Republic of Yugoslavia on the consequences of the activity involving
ammunition containing depleted uranium at the Han-Pijesak barracks.
12. In the UNEP mission research in 2002, 14 locations in Bosnia and
Herzegovina were examined, while 15 were not examined due to the presence of
minefields. Depleted uranium was found at the tank repair facility and ammunition
depot in Hadzici and at the ammunition depot and barracks in Han-Pijesak.
13. At these locations, clear and undoubted evidence was found of radioactive
bullets and contamination spots on the soil and in the ground. Water contamination
was found at one of these locations, air contamination was found at two of them and
contamination was found in flora samples at three locations. Depleted uranium was
not found at other locations examined. As time has passed since the use of
ammunition containing depleted uranium and the penetrating bullets are deep in the
ground, subject to corrosion, it would be more difficult to detect or pull them out of
the ground. Additionally, adequate solutions have not been found for the issue of the
adequate storage of radioactive bullets or segments of soil contaminated with
radioactive dust.
14. Indeed, the uranium radioactivity was significant at the time of bomb impacts,
and it affected human health either by inhalation of radioactive depleted uranium
dust or by staying in the environment, so that there is a high probability of the
effects of chemical toxicity of the isotope U-238 as a heavy metal on specific
organs, or as an alpha radiation emitter, either internal or external.

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15. Since the time of the bomb impacts, the dissolution of depleted uranium
isotopes and their penetration into the ground have had a negative effect on the
health of the population, flora and fauna and the environment as a whole, and will
continue to do so in the future.
16. An expert study on the incidence of cancer in the mortality rate in the period
1996-2000 among some 4,500-5,000 people displaced from the territory of Hadzici,
who settled in Bratunac municipality in 1995, found that:
(a) The mortality rate of the population coming from Hadzici was up to four
times higher than that of the local population;
(b) The mortality rate of the population from Hadzici was up to 2.5 times
higher than that of all other displaced populations in the municipality;
(c) The share of cancer was significant in the total mortality rate and was
significantly higher among the residents coming from Hadzici than among other
groups.
17. Additionally, the International Agency for Research on Cancer, Lyon, France,
states in its reports that the annual incidence of cancer cases over recent years in the
Balkans and in Bosnia and Herzegovina is on the increase, growing at an average
annual rate of 2 to 5 per cent.
18. Once the impact of depleted uranium on human health and the environment is
properly assessed, Bosnia and Herzegovina will need to develop adequate plans,
secure budget funding, train staff and equip it with the required detector equipment
and a laboratory for radioisotope testing.
19. Also, further research should be conducted in the localities where weapons and
ammunition containing depleted uranium were used, as well as the localities that
remain to be identified and searched. Prior to this, it is necessary to secure an
adequate storage place for definitive disposal of the penetration bullets, radioactive
dust and contaminated soil that have been found.
20. Furthermore, periodic preventive measures and regular checks of water, soil,
air, flora and fauna for the presence of depleted uranium isotopes or radiation should
be conducted at the selected locations, as well as scientific research to reduce the
future impact of depleted uranium on the health of the population.

Canada
[Original: English]
[10 June 2008]
The health impact of depleted uranium has been extensively studied by
specialists from around the world, and no study — including those conducted by
UNEP and WHO — has found any definitive link between the use of depleted
uranium in operational theatres and damage to human health. Therefore, there is
currently no international prohibition on the use of depleted uranium. That said, the
Canadian Forces have never used depleted uranium ammunition in operations or
fired such ammunition during land-based training anywhere in Canada. Depleted
uranium was eliminated from the Canadian Forces’ weapons inventory in 1998.
Canadian policy precludes the export of uranium and depleted uranium for military

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use. Canada abstained on the First Committee resolution on this matter because,
absent objective research findings that indicate adverse effects of the use of depleted
uranium on human health, Canada does not view a moratorium on its use as
necessary at this time.

Cuba
[Original: Spanish]
[20 June 2008]
1.
Cuba believes that this resolution raises a topic that needs to be discussed
within the United Nations framework, in particular the General Assembly as its most
participatory and democratic organ. The last word has not yet been said on the
effects of the use of weapons and ammunition containing depleted uranium, and
their impact on living creatures and the environment could be significant.
Some general comments on depleted uranium (DU):
2.
Uranium is a chemical and radioactive element basically composed of the
isotopes U-238 (98 per cent) and U-235 (0.7 per cent) and other minor isotopes. Of
the two isotopes, U-235 is the most important. It is highly radioactive and is used as
nuclear fuel in reactors of this type, and as an essential component of nuclear
bombs.
3.
In order to obtain the desired U-235, the process begins in the deposits of
complete uranium (a mixture of all its isotopes) where the element is found mixed
with a huge volume of minerals and rocks, from which it must be separated.
Mechanical and chemical methods are used for that purpose to produce a mass of
uranium which is still not usable, because the U-235 must be separated. This process
is known as “enrichment” and is conducted through isotopic diffusion, after which
the uranium, converted into uranium hexaflouride, is forced through a porous
membrane through which U-235 molecules, but not U-238, can pass easily.
4.
By repeating this process hundreds of times, the treated complete uranium
separates into two parts: one in which the percentage of U-235 continues to increase
in relation to the total mass, and which will be used as nuclear fuel when it reaches
the 1.5 to 3.5 per cent range; and the other part, in which the U-235 continues to
decline in relation to the total, which is known as depleted uranium.
5.
The enrichment process produces an extraordinary volume of depleted
uranium with a very low percentage of U-235 compared to U-238. Even so, when
the ratios (between the two isotopes) are compared with that found in nature, where
uranium is mixed with tens of hundreds of tons of extraneous material, it can be
concluded that depleted uranium is very dangerous.
6.
Radioactivity is the capacity of the radioactive isotopes to emit particles and
rays spontaneously and uncontrollably. These particles and rays, on impact with
living organisms, cause the degeneration of tissues and can lead to cancer,
leukaemia and other types of effects, including genetic mutations causing children
to be born with widely varying deformities.
7.
The ability of radioactive substances to cause the effects described basically
depends on various factors, including the following major ones: intensity of the

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exposure (characteristics of the isotope in question); time of exposure (duration for
which the organism is exposed) and form of exposure. Regarding the latter factor, it
must be clarified that the form of exposure may be external, that is to say when the
radioactive substance falls on the skin and from that moment exercises its damaging
effects; or internal, when the substance is absorbed through the air being breathed or
ingested with water or food, and begins to affect the organism from within.
8.
It is understandable that internal exposure is hundreds of times more
dangerous than external exposure, given that all rays and particles emitted by the
radioactive substance affect the organism. External exposure has an effect only
through rays and particles emitted in the direction of the organism.
9.
Uranium, as a heavy metal, is highly toxic, and its half-life is 4.5 million
years. In other words, a gram of U-235, after 4.5 million years, will be reduced to
0.5 grams; after another 4.5 million years to 0.25 grams, and so forth. One gram of
radioactive uranium can cause damage for millions of years.
Depleted uranium and its use in weapons and ammunition:
10. There are several reasons for the appeal of the use of depleted uranium in
weapons:
(a) As a by-product of the enrichment process mentioned before, significant
quantities of depleted uranium are stockpiled. Because of its dangerous radioactivity
it cannot be disposed of easily, but is stored in secure locations for an extended
period of time, which can be millions of years;
(b) Depleted uranium is a dense and heavy element, capable of resisting the
impact of projectiles and other materials; it is therefore used in armour plating.
However, it is also capable of piercing thick armour plating and therefore is used to
make projectiles whose range can be greater than conventional projectiles;
(c) Depleted uranium is an element with pyrophoric qualities, meaning that
it can catch fire when exposed to temperatures over 600 degrees. This temperature
can easily be reached, not only when utilizing the projectile because of the
explosive charge it contains, but also through the friction the projectile undergoes
with the depleted uranium when piercing armour.
11. When a projectile containing depleted uranium impacts a target, it penetrates
through it, catching fire, which causes the formation of two types of particles:
uranium dioxide, which is soluble in blood, and other tiny, insoluble solids that
acquire the characteristics of a ceramic because of the temperatures to which they
were exposed.
12. These particles spread and contaminate the air, water and food exposed to
them, and through which they can be absorbed by humans and other animals.
13. The soluble particles can be eliminated relatively easily in the days, weeks and
months after they enter an organism, through perspiration, urine or the blood itself.
The insoluble particles remain in the organism much longer. Those under 5 microns
in size which are breathed in to the lungs remain there and affect the organism for
life.
14. As for the solid particles which may be ingested with water and food, some
will be expelled within weeks, months or years, and others will become part of the

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tissue — mainly the bones, liver and kidneys — on which they will have a lifelong
effect. In addition, after the death of a contaminated person and the decomposition
of the body, they will remain active, causing damage for thousands of millions of
years longer. It has been calculated that 97 per cent of the depleted uranium that
enters an organism remains in it until death.
15. It is well known that weapons and ammunition containing depleted uranium
were used in the final years of the twentieth century, and they are suspected to have
been used in this century as well. Some non-governmental organizations have
reported that, during the wars in the Persian Gulf which took place at the end of the
last century, thousands of soldiers were exposed to the damaging effects of depleted
uranium, and since that time the effects have shown up as part of the so-called “Gulf
War syndrome”. The effects include chronic pain, fatigue, hair loss, memory loss,
deterioration of the immune system, liver and kidney disease and diseases of other
organs.
16. Some publications believe that as a result of the use of projectiles containing
depleted uranium, a high quantity of particles may be dispersed over the ground,
and that the majority of their effects cannot be seen in the short term.
17. To date the reports on the subject issued by international agencies cannot be
termed definitive, since some remain incomplete until research and verification is
conducted in the locations where weapons and ammunition containing depleted
uranium were known to be used and also on the persons exposed to their impact.
18. IAEA, WHO and UNEP have produced reports giving an initial assessment of
the problem. Some of these documents refer to research conducted years after the
time when depleted uranium was used; nevertheless, contamination caused by that
substance was discovered.
19. According to WHO studies, the most likely way civilians could have come into
contact with depleted uranium is through collecting objects (bullets or spent
cartridges) from the surface of the earth. Consequently, routine methods for
collection of such objects from the earth’s surface would be beneficial. However, it
is not known whether such clearance has been conducted, and whether subsequent
scientific investigations can confirm the lack of danger.
20. Likewise, the probability of depleted uranium contamination of agricultural
products is unknown, and the full range of effects it could cause in groundwater
remains inconclusive.
21. The research carried out advises that consideration should be given to the
effects that a projectile containing depleted uranium could have if it fell to the
bottom of a family’s well or in a town’s water collection tank. It has not been
possible to check the information in this study, or at least there are no reports that
anything similar has been proven. According to WHO, neither is there data in the
literature on the effects of depleted uranium in still or slow-moving water.
22. Furthermore, some of the studies conducted have demonstrated that, in the
case of concentrated points of contamination, someone who might come into
physical contact with the soil and thereby contaminate his hands or be affected by
ingesting something contaminated with depleted uranium can suffer significant
contamination from the point of view of the toxicity of heavy metals. Therefore, it

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would also involve ingestion of depleted uranium above the level of health
standards, leading to poor kidney function or kidney failure.
23. It is difficult to predict the effect that weapons and ammunition containing
depleted uranium will have when they impact a particular area and affect drinking
water supply. The resulting contamination can exceed norms for such cases,
including WHO standards. Local conditions, the physical and chemical properties of
the weapons and ammunition containing depleted uranium and soil and groundwater
conditions, among other factors, are elements that can make it difficult to determine
the effects.
24. Specifically, it is probable that some munitions or other weapons containing
depleted uranium are buried in the earth at a depth of several metres, and together
with those which could still be on the surface, they constitute a risk of
contamination of groundwater and drinking water. A high level of discharge of
weapons containing depleted uranium taking place in an area can increase the
potential sources of water contamination from 10 to 100 times. The radiation dose is
probably very low, but the resulting concentration of depleted uranium could exceed
the WHO health standards for drinking water.
25. There are also indications that some plant material, such as lichen and possibly
bark, can be good environmental indicators of depleted uranium. Preliminary results
must be verified by additional analysis.
26. As far as we know, international agencies in the Balkans investigated a
minimal percentage of all the sites attacked with ammunition containing depleted
uranium during the armed conflict in that region. On the basis of such findings it is
possible to extrapolate to other sites affected by this substance. However, further
investigations will be necessary to confirm the validity of those extrapolations.
27. The Member States of the United Nations are unaware of the evolution of the
problems encountered by the investigations conducted by international agencies in
the late 1990s of the twentieth century and the beginnings of the twenty-first. The
extent of the use of depleted uranium in weapons manufacture is also not known,
nor whether and where weapons and ammunition containing depleted uranium were
used after the conflicts that were investigated by the IAEA, WHO, UNEP and other
agencies.
28. How to address the potential damage from the use of weapons and ammunition
containing depleted uranium on human beings and other living creatures and the
environment must be discussed.
29. Cuba reiterates the importance of resolution 62/30, which addresses a subject
of immediate concern to humanity, and hopes that the Governments of United
Nations Member States and the relevant international organizations can inform the
Secretary-General of their views on the effects of the utilization of weapons and
ammunition containing depleted uranium, in fulfilment of the request contained in
this resolution.

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Finland
[Original: English]
[7 July 2008]
1.
Finland shares the concerns raised in the General Assembly about the potential
risk related to the use of depleted uranium in armaments and ammunitions. The
issue has been the object of several international studies and it merits further
political discussions worldwide.
2.

Finland does not possess any ammunition containing depleted uranium.

3.
The exposure of Finnish peacekeepers to depleted uranium has been
scientifically examined. Analyses were made of samples taken from troops serving
in Kosovo in 2000 and 2001. No indication of abnormal exposure was found. The
findings were published in 2001 (see K. Lehtomäki, J. Rantanen, A. Kallio and
R. Pääkkönen, “Depleted uranium: assessment of exposure of Finnish KFOR
peacekeepers”, Annales Medecinae Militares Fenniae, vol. 76, No. 2 (2001),
pp. 187-192). Finland continues to closely observe any international developments
in the use of depleted uranium and is ready to undertake further studies if necessary.
4.
Awareness of issues related to depleted uranium is included in the training of
all Finnish peacekeepers. Relevant training is planned on the basis of the risk
analysis of a mission. For instance, awareness-raising and training was given to
troops in preparation for the mission in Lebanon.
5.
An active dialogue between civic society, non-governmental organizations, the
scientific community and civil military authorities continues nationally. Finland
greatly values international efforts to discuss the potential risks of the use of
depleted uranium in armaments and ammunitions.

Germany
[Original: English]
[16 May 2008]
1.
In the light of the public debate on the question of whether the utilization of
munitions containing depleted uranium could pose risks to humans and the
environment, Germany supported resolution 62/30 on the understanding that further
information on and research into the effects of depleted uranium on human health
and the environment might be of help to find a suitable answer on this issue.
2.
With regard to the use of armaments and ammunition containing depleted
uranium by armed forces, the Federal Republic of Germany wishes to inform the
Secretary-General that the German Federal Armed Forces are not stockpiling and
have never used armaments or deployed ammunitions containing depleted uranium.
3.
In view of German participation in joint international military operations,
Germany in recent years has initiated two scientific studies with a view to assessing
the potential negative effects of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted
uranium on human health and the environment.
4.
A first study, entitled “Measurements of daily urinary uranium excretion in
German peacekeeping personnel and residents of the Kosovo region to assess

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potential intakes of depleted uranium”, summarizes research carried out by a
renowned group of experts from the National Research Centre for Environment and
Health, Middlesex University, the University of Bristol, Royal Holloway University
of London and the University of Milan.
5.
The aim of the study was to identify potential health risks originating from
depleted uranium to peacekeeping personnel in the Balkans and extended to
residents of Kosovo and southern Serbia, who lived in areas where ammunitions
containing depleted uranium were deployed. Analysing more than 1,300 urine
samples from peacekeeping personnel serving in the Balkans, residents of Kosovo
and adjacent regions of Serbia and people living in Germany (unexposed control
subjects) during the period from 1999 to 2006, as well as measuring ground and tap
water samples from regions where depleted uranium munitions were deployed, the
study concluded that peacekeeping personnel and residents serving or living in the
Balkans were not exposed to significant amounts of depleted uranium and thus no
health effects related to the toxicity of incorporated uranium are expected.
6.
A second experimental study, published in 2007 and entitled “Long-term
corrosion and leaching of depleted uranium in soil”, was conducted by researchers
from the National Research Centre for Environment and Health and the Rossendorf
Research Centre. The study aimed to investigate long-term corrosion and leaching
of depleted uranium from ammunition buried in columns with soil cores over a
period of three years.
7.
The study found that the annual corrosion rate of depleted uranium munitions
increased significantly during the last two years as compared to the first year and
that leaching rates increased in the second and third years. It concluded that, since
the large temporal and inter-column variability of leaching that had already been
observed after one year was not reduced after three years, neither leaching rates
measured after one year nor leaching rates obtained after three years could
reasonably be used to predict leaching rates in the long term. Given the fact that a
prediction of the further development of leaching is almost impossible on the basis
of obtained data in the study and that the geochemical behaviour of uranium
depends on a variety of factors, the study emphasizes the necessity of additional
research into the transport of uranium through soil and the potential contamination
of groundwater in areas affected by depleted uranium weapons if deemed necessary.
8.
The result of these studies, conducted to determine the potential harmful
effects of ammunitions and armaments containing depleted uranium on human
health and the environment, was that significant effects could not be detected.

Japan
[Original: English]
[6 June 2008]
1.
In accordance with paragraph 1 of resolution 62/30, Japan submits its views to
the Secretary-General on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions
containing depleted uranium.
2.
Japan has neither owned nor used armaments or ammunitions containing
depleted uranium. Japan recognizes that despite the studies conducted by relevant
international organizations on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions

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containing depleted uranium on human health and the environment, at present no
internationally definitive conclusion has been drawn. Japan will continue to follow
carefully the developments of the studies conducted by the relevant international
organizations.
3.
Japan appreciates all studies and activities conducted by international
organizations, including WHO, IAEA and UNEP, related to ammunitions containing
depleted uranium. Japan would like to call upon all relevant international
organizations to conduct successive on-site studies and further information
gathering, and to provide their views on the effects that the use of depleted uranium
munitions may have on the human body and the environment.
4.
In this connection, Japan pays special attention to the opinions and activities of
the interested non-governmental organizations in this field. Japan intends to engage
in dialogue, where appropriate, with civil society on this matter.

Mali
[Original: French]
[9 May 2008]
The Republic of Mali does not possess any arms or ammunitions containing
depleted uranium.

Netherlands
[Original: English]
[10 June 2008]
1.
The Netherlands voted against General Assembly resolution 62/30. The
following is a response to paragraph 1 of the resolution, in which the Assembly
requested the Secretary-General to seek the views of Member States and relevant
international organizations on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions
containing depleted uranium.
2.
The Netherlands recognizes the need for additional research on the effects of
the use of armaments and ammunitions containing depleted uranium and appreciates
that this issue is being discussed in the forum of the United Nations. However, the
resolution’s reference to the “potential” harmful effects of the use of depleted
uranium munitions on human health and the environment cannot so far be
substantiated by scientific studies conducted by relevant international organizations
such as WHO.
3.
The Dutch armed forces do not use munitions containing depleted uranium. In
the context of multinational missions, however, it is not impossible that Dutch
service personnel may operate in areas in which munitions containing depleted
uranium are being or have been used by allies. The health and well-being of Dutch
soldiers deployed on international missions is under the continuous scrutiny of the
Dutch Government. Exposure to hazardous materials must be avoided to the greatest
possible extent.

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Qatar
[Original: Arabic]
[8 April 2008]
1.
Depleted uranium is a by-product of the uranium enrichment process, which
separates natural uranium into two components. The smaller of the two contains a
proportion of the fissile isotope U-235 greater than the natural proportion of
0.72 per cent. The other, larger component contains a smaller than natural
proportion of U-235. This is depleted uranium. The usual isotopic makeup of
depleted uranium is as follows: 99.8 per cent U-238, 0.2 per cent U-235 and
0.001 per cent U-234.
2.
U-238 has a radioactive half-life of 4.5 billion years. It has metal-like qualities
of high density (about twice that of lead) and high rigidity, which make it desirable
for use in armour-piercing shells. It was used in the wars in the Balkans (Kosovo)
and the Gulf War.
3.
The health effects of depleted uranium are that it is poisonous, causing lung
cancer, ovarian cancer and kidney damage. In the wake of the Gulf War the United
States left behind 600,000 pounds of uranium in Iraq and Kuwait. We knew that the
effects of ammunitions containing depleted uranium can reach up to 48 kilometres
from a blast, and we now know the full extent of the contamination that can result.
Reports indicate a 300-fold rise above normal of radiation levels in Iraq, and a 16fold rise in cases of ovarian cancer. In other words, the biggest effects are on
civilians and on the environment in the long term.
4.
Therefore, the State of Qatar is in favour of banning the use of armaments and
ammunitions containing uranium.

Serbia
[Original: English]
[9 June 2008]
1.
The ammunitions containing depleted uranium, manufactured in various
calibres and for various types of weapons and first used in the Gulf War of 1991,
were also used in the NATO raids on the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia in 1999
against targets in Kosovo and Metchija, Montenegro and southern Serbia. The
30mm-calibre PGU-148 API type containing 298 grams of depleted uranium was
fired from a 7-barrel gun carried on A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft.
2.
The major focus of the bombing campaign in which this type of weapon was
used was in the areas of Prizren, Uroševac, Djakovica, Dečane and Djurakovac
(Kosovo and Metohija), the municipalities of Vranje, Bujanovac and Preševo
(southern Serbia) and the Luštica peninsula (Montenegro). There is a discrepancy in
the number of targets quoted in the report submitted by NATO to the panel of
experts on depleted uranium in Geneva in 2000 at the request of UNEP and the data
available to the Serbian military: according to the latter, 85 locations were targeted
in Kosovo in Metohija, 4 in southern Serbia and 1 in Montenegro.
3.
The bursting of the bullet fitted with depleted uranium and the burning of a
part of it upon impact on a hard surface leads to the creation of particles and

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aerosols. If the impact is made at the right angle, the ensuant temperature rises to
over 1,000º C accounting for the burning/oxidation of a part of uranium; at an
impact on a soft surface (land) only a small fraction of the bullet is transformed into
aerosols the large particles of which are deposited at the place of the impact (within
the range of 100m), whereas the remainder of the bullet penetrates the surface about
1m deep. Depending on weather conditions, the small particles may be spread
dozens of kilometres away, leading to radioactive contamination of large expanses
of soil and atmosphere.
4.
The particles are entered into the human body either by inhalation or through
the consumption of food and water and are deposited in the lungs, kidneys, bones
and the brains for years. Uranium is not easily solved in water and bodily fluids, but
its oxides are and may over time contaminate underground waters and, through
plants used as fodder and human food, animals and people.
5.
In a report of the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority it is said, among
other things, that depleted uranium will be spread over the battlefield and round hit
vehicles in various quantities and particle sizes, from dust to full-size penetrators.
People would be ill-advised to stay close to large quantities of depleted uranium for
a protracted period of time. Obviously, it would be important to warn the population
not to collect the metal and keep it at home. The report goes on to say that vehicle
and soil contamination in some of the affected areas may exceed expected limits and
thus present an additional risk to decontamination teams and the population.
6.
Depleted uranium ammunition affects the population even after the cessation
of military operations as contamination cannot be controlled and localized. It
threatens the environment and may spread to adjacent countries and regions. In a
report of the Vinča Institute for Nuclear Science, Belgrade, it is said that
“(c)onsidering the speed and the number of rounds fired, as well as the probability
of self-inflammation and the amount of radiation exceeding that of natural uranium
contained in the soil many hundred-fold, it can be concluded that the use of depleted
uranium ammunition leads to contamination of the environment with long-term
consequences”.
7.
The strength of the gamma-ray dose at the contact with the bullet of the
depleted uranium ammunition used in the raid against the Federal Republic of
Yugoslavia in 1999 has been measured at 0.1 milliGray/hour; under the International
Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation published by IAEA
in 1996, the tested material belongs among radioactive material and its handling is
subject to strict protection measures.
8.
As radioactive waste, depleted uranium ammunition must be stored in
appropriate facilities. Decontamination of contaminated locations is carried out
either through excavation and removal of the soil, physical separation, a chemical
separation process or at-location stabilization. There does not appear to be much
experience in the world in this field today. Most often, except for at-location
chemical stabilization, recourse is had to excavation whereby the entire
contaminated soil is excavated and stored in appropriate facilities or only a part of it
is dug up and replaced by pure earth.
9.
The decontamination of locations contaminated with depleted uranium
ammunition in southern Serbia has been carried out by way of physical separation.

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10. The Republic of Serbia considers that the use of depleted uranium ammunition
is a violation of the basic principles of international humanitarian law because:
(a) Depleted uranium is toxic and radioactive and, if taken into the human
body, its particles have a long-time negative effect on human health; indeed, they
may affect man throughout his life. The negative effect is noticeable in descendents,
too. The use of the ammunition causes unnecessary human suffering and excessive
harm disproportionate to military objectives;
(b) Spread of depleted uranium particles cannot be controlled or prevented,
which affects civilian population. Depleted uranium ammunition, therefore, belongs
among weapons of unselective mass destruction;

11.

(c)

Depleted uranium particles contaminate soil for thousands of years;

(d)

Chemical activities of uranium oxides are a threat to the environment.

Accordingly:

(a) Depleted uranium ammunition is a very dangerous radioactive material
with primary and secondary effects and poses a threat not only to military personnel
in combat operations, but also to civilian population, flora and fauna and the
environment;
(b) Use of depleted uranium ammunition accounts for permanent
contamination of living creatures, material resources, edifices and the environment;
(c) Use of depleted uranium ammunition is inhuman; its military effects are
disproportionate to its affliction of, and consequences for, the living world and the
environment;
(d) The contaminated soil must not be left unattended and must be
decontaminated, notwithstanding spiralling costs and inherent risks. Full
decontamination, however, is hardly possible;
(e) Serbia has acquired considerable experience and trained personnel in
carrying out the process of decontamination. The personnel may be contracted for
similar assignments elsewhere;
(f) Information on the effects of depleted uranium ammunition, as well as
relevant resources and expert assistance, should be made available to the affected
countries;
(g) Initiative should be launched to adopt a Convention against the
production and use of depleted uranium ammunition and on its destruction.

Spain
[Original: Spanish]
[29 April 2008]
Characteristics and applications of depleted uranium
1.
Depleted uranium is a weakly radioactive heavy metal that is stronger than
other metals, such as tungsten, and is used in ammunition.

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2.
In the armaments sector, depleted uranium is used to make defensive armour
plate and armour-piercing ammunition, especially the coating of tank-piercing
projectiles, as it is highly effective in penetrating steel.
Associated potential risks and precautionary measures
3.
The handling of projectiles or ammunition containing depleted uranium does
not require any special precautions besides those required for the handling of any
type of conventional ammunition. The same is generally true of the dust or debris
remaining after detonation.
4.
Modern anti-tank projectiles combine the piercing and thermal qualities of
depleted uranium, part of which, upon impact, produces an aerosol of fine particles.
These particles may be inhaled, although casualties in this case are mainly due to
the shock wave or heat generated upon impact, rather than particle inhalation, which
would be more likely to cause harm in the long term.
5.
Nonetheless, in an enclosed space, such as the interior of a combat vehicle, a
cloud of slowly dispersing alpha particles could form in the absence of ventilation.
Only specially trained personnel should handle debris in this case, since in addition
to the potential toxicity of depleted uranium, there are also the standard hazards
associated with this type of debris: the presence of explosive remnants of war,
unexploded munitions, flammable or corrosive liquids, etc. It is advisable to educate
troops and civilians in this regard and to clear the conflict area of any debris where
security conditions allow.
Spanish study on the potential health risks associated with depleted uranium
6.
In forming its opinion on this issue, the Spanish Government has drawn on the
experience it accumulated in response to the expressions of national and
international public concern, beginning in December 2000, over reports that military
personnel of NATO who had served in the Balkans as part of various national
contingents had abnormally high rates of cancer. This, in turn, was attributed to their
having allegedly handled ammunition containing depleted uranium or the debris of
such ammunition following detonation.
7.
In light of the possibility that Spanish soldiers having participated in
peacekeeping missions in the Balkans in the 1990s or currently on mission had
contracted such diseases, a Scientific Committee was established to provide healthrelated advice to the Minister of Defence. The Committee’s preliminary report,
issued in March 2001, contained seven proposals for further development,
including:
(a) Monitoring of the health status of military personnel having been
deployed in the Balkans;
(b) Follow-up of the pre- and post-deployment medical examination
protocols;
(c) Coordination with the system of periodic medical examinations regulated
by the Ministry of Defence;
(d) Establishment and maintenance of a database on mission personnel
(cohort);

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(e)
of time;

Monitoring of the cohort’s health over an initially indeterminate period

(f) Assignment of such monitoring tasks to a specialized body of the
Military Health Department — the Institute of Preventive Medicine — and
maintenance of the Scientific Committee for reference and guidance purposes;
(g)

Preservation of biological samples for possible future analysis.

8.
In April 2001, the plenary of Spain’s Congress of Deputies agreed to carry out
the seven proposals for follow-up of the situation presented by the Scientific
Committee experts. It also proposed sending a report to the Defence Commission on
the steps taken and results obtained following implementation of the proposals.
9.
In February 2003, the first annual report was issued, including the findings of
all the studies conducted thus far. The report’s conclusions bore out all those of the
preliminary report, to the effect that the situation presented no abnormalities. In
comparison to the general Spanish population, the distribution of cancers in the
sample studied was lower than expected, and no significant anomalies were
identified in the study on exposure to the heavy metals analysed. The report
highlighted the fact that the health surveillance systems for personnel deployed
abroad, which had been strengthened in response to the concerns raised, had not
detected any particular change in the area of operations that might have had an
impact on the health of such personnel.
10. As a result, the Scientific Committee suggested suspending its activities while
maintaining health surveillance activities through the Military Health Department.
11. The epidemiological study included 28,665 soldiers who had participated in
peacekeeping operations in the Balkans between 1 January 1993 and 1 July 2001,
whose health was monitored until 30 November 2002. The amount of time spent on
mission ranged from 3 to 15 months, with an average of 6.5 months.
12. The monitoring was based on methods of identifying and reporting cases,
using various research methods. Beginning in 2002, it was strengthened through the
use of individual surveys in order to try to identify all possible cases.
13. The 40 malignancies identified within the cohort, including their distribution,
histological and biological characteristics, and clinical behaviour, did not differ
from those observed in standard clinical practice for the Spanish population of the
same sex and age group. The results of the tests measuring heavy metal levels,
including more than 31,000 tests for uranium, were within normal limits.
Spain’s views on the effects of the use of armaments and ammunitions containing
depleted uranium
14. Spain does not have, nor has it ever had, ammunition containing depleted
uranium. The use of this material is not proscribed by any international instrument.
15. Spanish studies have not been able to demonstrate a cause-and-effect
relationship between the weak radiation detected in the debris of targets attacked
with depleted uranium projectiles and the development of cancer or other diseases in
soldiers or civilians.
16. In addition, the numerous studies on the use of armaments containing depleted
uranium in various situations, carried out by UNEP, WHO, the European

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Commission and NATO, indicate that the use of depleted uranium does not pose a
significant radiological risk.
17. In particular, on 6 March 2001, the European Commission’s Environment
Directorate-General published a report by a group of independent scientific experts
commissioned to study the effects of depleted uranium. The group, made up of
35 physicians, chemists and nuclear scientists from member States, concluded that,
on the basis of available information, exposure to depleted uranium could not
produce detectable health effects.
18. Also in 2001, NATO established an ad hoc committee to study the effects on
troops and the civilian population of the depleted uranium used in Alliance
operations in the Balkans (depleted uranium was used in the 1991 Gulf War and in
the 1999 Kosovo operations). The results of this study, to which institutions such as
the International Committee of the Red Cross contributed, indicated that:
(a) There was no evidence of an increase in incidence of illness among
peacekeepers in the Balkans compared with the incidence of illness among armed
forces not serving in the Balkans;
(b) There was no evidence of a link between depleted uranium and health
problems such as leukaemia or other cancers.
19.

In conclusion:

(a) Depleted uranium presents little radiological risk, since its level of
radioactivity is lower than the level of natural radioactivity. Depleted uranium is
only a radiological hazard when, in its pure form, it remains in contact with the skin
for an extended period of time;
(b) According to current research, the only possible health risk is the use of a
heavy metal such as lead or depleted uranium, which, in certain circumstances, can
have harmful effects on the liver and kidneys. An individual must be nearby at the
time of impact and must absorb a large quantity of depleted uranium dust in order to
be negatively affected by such risks.

III. Replies received from agencies and organs of the
United Nations system
International Atomic Energy Agency
[Original: English]
[3 June 2008]
The IAEA assessment of radiological consequences of depleted uranium residues
contamination in post-conflict situations
1.
In the recent past, the use of depleted uranium in conventional anti-tank
munitions during conflicts in the Balkans and the Middle East resulted in the
contamination of these territories with radioactive residues.
2.
Depleted uranium is one of the by-products of uranium enrichment and, like
any other uranium compound, has both chemical and radiological toxicity. Depleted
uranium is only slightly radioactive, 60 per cent as radioactive as natural uranium.

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Depleted uranium has the same chemical and physical properties as natural uranium.
The chemical toxicity of uranium is normally the dominant factor for human health.
However, in special circumstances in which depleted uranium was inhaled or
ingested or where fragments came into close contact with individuals, it is necessary
to also assess its radiological impact.
3.
After the above-mentioned conflicts, questions arose regarding the possible
consequences of the existence of depleted uranium residues for local populations
and the environment. As part of the United Nations system’s effort to respond to the
requests of affected States to assess the consequences of the use of depleted uranium
ammunitions in conflict situations, IAEA — with its unique statutory functions, i.e.,
to establish standards of safety for protection against radiation exposure and to
provide for the application of these standards — has been involved in coordinated
evaluation exercises.
4.
A number of evaluation of the environmental and health impact of depleted
uranium munitions have been performed by national and international organizations.
IAEA participated together with UNEP and WHO in several international appraisals
like those in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Montenegro, Kosovo, Kuwait,
Iraq and Lebanon. The radiological framework for these studies was the
International Basic Safety Standards for Protection against Ionizing Radiation and
for the Safety of Radiation Sources (Safety Series No. 115, IAEA, Vienna, 1996)
and the methodology was generally based on sampling campaigns, analysis of the
environmental samples in recognized international laboratories and radiological
assessments performed by international experts.
5.
The objectives of these assessments have been to draw conclusions regarding
the toxic and radiological safety and to make recommendations to mitigate the
hazards to the population and the environment, on the basis of comprehensive
surveys at specific locations where depleted uranium ammunition residues may have
been spread. These studies exclusively dealt with civilian inhabitants and
environment radiological risk in areas affected by military actions after the conflicts
were terminated. The results and conclusions are valid at the time of the assessments
and, when possible and under certain grounds, prospectively, IAEA did not evaluate
the impact of depleted uranium ammunition on the troops or the populations at the
time of the conflicts.
6.
In general, the results of these assessments indicated that the existence of
depleted uranium residues dispersed in the environment does not pose a radiological
hazard to the population of the affected regions. Estimated annual radiation doses
that could arise from exposure to depleted uranium residues would be very low and
of little radiological concern. Annual radiation doses in the areas where residues do
exist would be of the order of a few microsieverts, well below the annual doses
received by the population from the natural sources of radiation in the environment
and far below the reference level recommended by IAEA as a radiological criterion
to help establish whether remedial actions are necessary.
7.
Complete depleted uranium ammunition or fragments can still be found at
some locations where depleted uranium weapons were used during past wars.
Prolonged skin contact with these depleted uranium residues is the only possible
exposure pathway that could result in exposures of radiological significance. As
long as access to the areas where these fragments exist remains restricted, the
likelihood that members of the public could come into contact with these residues is

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low. The recommendations to the national authorities, in all the cases studied were
to collect any depleted uranium ammunition or fragments and any war equipment
which have been in direct contact with these ammunitions and isolate them from the
public in appropriate locations until it can be processed as low level radioactive
waste and eventually safely disposed of. Some environmental remedial actions like
covering of areas with uncontaminated soils could be convenient at some particular
locations, depending on the use of the land.
8.
After the conclusion of the investigations in which IAEA participated, the
national authorities in the affected regions should have had the competence and
equipment to carry out the necessary monitoring, survey and remedial activities in
relation to depleted uranium. This was actually observed in all the cases studied.
9.
IAEA together with UNEP and WHO provided coordinated response to the
request of its Member States to assess the post-conflict radiological risk to the
public and the environment from the contamination of territories with depleted
uranium residues. IAEA generally concluded that the radiological risk was not
significant and could be controlled with simple countermeasures conducted by
national authorities. It was also observed that in a post-conflict environment where
the social and economic disruption is high, the radiation fear linked to the presence
of depleted uranium residues further increases the anxiety of the population. In
many of the concerned countries the results of the radiological evaluations provided
a basis for public reassurance due to the low significance of the radiological impact.

World Health Organization
[Original: English]
[2 June 2008]
Background
1.
The main civilian uses of depleted uranium include counterweights in aircraft,
radiation shields in medical radiation therapy machines and containers for the
transport of radioactive materials. The military uses of depleted uranium for
defensive armour plate is based on its high density as well as ability to ignite on
impact if the temperature exceeds 600° C.
2.
Earlier reports of the international organization (IAEA, UNEP and WHO)
focused on environmental and health impact of depleted uranium for example in
Bosnia and Kuwait. Depleted uranium concentration levels in soil exceeding
background levels of uranium was reported close to locations of depleted uranium
shrapnel or remains of tanks left after military operations. Over time, the depleted
uranium concentration is dispersed into the wider natural environment by wind and
rain. People living or working in affected areas may inhale re-suspended
contaminated dusts.
Potential health effects of exposure to depleted uranium
3.
Average annual normal intake of uranium by an adult is estimated to be about
500 μg from ingestion of food and water and 0.6 μg from inhaling air. Ingestion of
small amounts of depleted uranium-contaminated soil by small children may occur
while playing in post-conflict zones. Occasional exposure of depleted uranium
through the skin contact does not result in any ascertainable health effect.

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4.
Because depleted uranium is only weakly radioactive, chemical toxicity is the
prevailing concern. The kidneys are the main site of potential damage from
chemical toxicity of uranium. Limited information from human studies indicates
that the severity of effects on kidney function and the time taken for kidney function
to return to normal both increase with the level of uranium exposure.
5.
To date, no consistent evidence of adverse effects of depleted uranium has
been reported for the skeleton or liver. No reproductive or developmental effects
have been reported in humans. Long-term follow-up studies on military personnel
wounded during military operations and living with depleted uranium-containing
fragments embedded in soft tissue show elevated level of depleted uranium in urine.
Although uranium released from embedded fragments may accumulate in the central
nervous system tissue, and some animal and human studies are suggestive of effects
on central nervous system function, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions from the
few studies reported.
6.
In 2001, WHO produced the report “Depleted uranium: sources, exposure and
health effects”, which will be updated in 2008. New evidence from recent
epidemiological and experimental studies will be reviewed, however, no major
deviation from previous conclusions is expected.
Monitoring and treatment of exposed individuals
7.
For the general population, neither civilian nor military use of depleted
uranium is likely to produce radiation doses significantly above normal background
levels. Therefore, individual exposure assessments for depleted uranium will
normally not be required. Exposure assessments based on environmental
measurements may be useful for monitoring and the information and reassurance of
the public.
8.
When an individual is suspected of having been exposed to depleted uranium
at a level of dose significantly above the normal background level, an assessment of
depleted uranium exposure and kidney function may be required. This is best
achieved by analysis of daily urine excretion.
9.
In conjunction with the United Nations Joint Medical Service, WHO has
developed guidance on exposure to depleted uranium for medical officers and for
programme administrators. These recommendations provide advice on the need for
special medical examinations or monitoring the health of populations living in
conflict areas with possibly significant exposure to depleted uranium (see
www.who.int/ionizing_radiation/en/Recommend_Med_Officers_final.pdf).
Recommendations
10. Following military conflicts, levels of depleted uranium concentration in soil
and air might be detected in affected areas even after a few years. The area
contaminated with armour, tanks, shrapnel, etc. should be monitored. Where
justified and possible, clean-up operations in impact zones should be undertaken if
there are substantial numbers of radioactive projectiles remaining and where
qualified experts deem contamination levels to be unacceptable. If high
concentrations of depleted uranium dust or metal fragments are present, then areas
may need to be cordoned off until removal can be accomplished. Such impact sites
are likely to contain a variety of hazardous materials, in particular unexploded

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ordnance. Due consideration needs to be given to all hazards, and the potential
hazard from depleted uranium kept in perspective. In general, disposal of depleted
uranium should follow appropriate national or international recommendations.
11. Particular emphasis should be placed on the protection of children. Small
children could receive greater exposure to depleted uranium when playing in or near
depleted uranium impact sites. Their typical hand-to-mouth activity could lead to
high depleted uranium ingestion from contaminated soil.
12. Risk communication campaigns may be needed in the affected areas to educate
local populations on potential hazards and risks for their health. This is especially
important in areas where scrap metal is collected and melted for sale. This may
impose a significant risk to health of people and especially children due to the
inhalation of toxic vapours resulting from metal melting. National authorities for the
affected post-conflict zones should be advised to take action to control and regulate
such activities in local communities.

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