DU 'is safe'

Thursday, 8 May 2003 12:00 AM

US military chiefs on Wednesday downplayed the health risk depleted uranium, used in the fortification of tank-piercing shells, had on Iraqi civilians who live among the debris from both Gulf wars.

Lt. Col. Michael Sigmon, deputy surgeon for the U.S. Army's V Corps said: 'There is not really any danger, at least that we know about, for the people of Iraq.'

Mr. Sigmon argued that for there to be a health risk children playing with used tank shells would have to consume and then choke on the depleted uranium residue before any health problems ensued.

But Mr. Sigmon noted that a 10-year study of US soldiers working with depleted uranium during the 1991 Gulf War had found slightly higher levels of uranium in urine samples but kidney defects, tumors or bone cancers were not statistically anomalous.

On the home front, the Ministry of Defense said last month that British forces returning from the Persian Gulf would be offered precautionary urine tests to check levels of depleted uranium present in their bodies.

Some experts believe depleted uranium may have long-term environmental and health impacts, especially if the chemical contaminates water and soil.

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