The U.S. has announced it is sending depleted uranium anti-tank rounds to Ukraine, following Britain’s lead in sending the controversial munitions to help Kyiv push through Russian lines in its grueling counteroffensive.
Depleted uranium is far more hazardous because it’s a heavy metal than because it’s still very slightly radioactive. It’s an alpha emitter so the radiation won’t penetrate your skin. You can handle DU constantly and not have any issues unless you breathe it in or swallow it at which point the primary concern is going to be acute heavy metal poisoning, not the cancer it may or may not cause several years down the road.
Neither of those effects are something you want spread all over a country that supplies a crapload of the worlds grain and other agricultural products.
Even worse, Ukraine will be spreading g it around their own country. While I realize it’s a fight for survival against aggression and support giving them all the help they need, it’s horrifying what it’s doing to them and their country
Depleted uranium is far more hazardous because it’s a heavy metal than because it’s still very slightly radioactive. It’s an alpha emitter so the radiation won’t penetrate your skin. You can handle DU constantly and not have any issues unless you breathe it in or swallow it at which point the primary concern is going to be acute heavy metal poisoning, not the cancer it may or may not cause several years down the road.
Neither of those effects are something you want spread all over a country that supplies a crapload of the worlds grain and other agricultural products.
Even worse, Ukraine will be spreading g it around their own country. While I realize it’s a fight for survival against aggression and support giving them all the help they need, it’s horrifying what it’s doing to them and their country