Scientist questions use of depleted uranium munitions

AM - Thursday, 2 November , 2006 08:24:00
Reporter: Rafael Epstein

TONY EASTLEY: America and Britain's use of depleted uranium munitions has again been queried by a scientist who says information about their dangers has been suppressed.

The man who worked on a definitive World Health Organisation study on the dangers of the munitions, says studies pointing to a potential problem never saw the light of day.

Europe Correspondent Rafael Epstein.

RAFAEL EPSTEIN: In the 1991 war with Iraq, the United States fired 320 tonnes of depleted uranium munitions. In 2003 they used as much as 2,000 tonnes. This material is used because of its ability to penetrate heavy armour, like the hull of a tank.

When the US and Britain defend their use of these materials, they sometimes cite a World Health Organisation study compiled in 2001. It brought together all the available evidence on whether or not such munitions could lead to sickness and even cancer.

Dr Keith Baverstock was a senior radiation adviser with the WHO. He told the BBC a study showing the munitions could be carcinogenic was kept out of the final report or monograph.

KEITH BAVERSTOCK: When it wasn't included in the monograph I, with two other colleagues, prepared a paper for the open literature and the WHO did not permit me to submit that paper for publication.

RAFAEL EPSTEIN: And he believes the United States helped stop the publication.

KEITH BAVERSTOCK: It is naive to think that in institutions like the United Nations one is free from political influences. The member states have their own agendas.

RAFAEL EPSTEIN: But Dr Mike Repacholi disagrees. He coordinated the entire report as head of the WHO's Radiation and Environmental Health Unit.

MIKE REPACHOLI: Depleted uranium is basically safe. You can touch depleted uranium for hours and not cause any radiation damage. You can ingest it and it's excreted through the body, 99 per cent of it goes within about a day. You would have to ingest a huge amount of depleted uranium dust to cause any adverse health effect.

RAFAEL EPSTEIN: Dr Repacholi told the BBC, the studies showing possibly adverse effects were not included at the time, because they were not conclusive and could not stand up to scientific scrutiny. Since then there have been more studies on the possible dangers caused by such weapons. They suggest that depleted uranium chemically alters DNA and could be a precursor to tumour growth.

Much of this work has been done by scientists at the US Department of Defence, but their work has since ceased.

In London this is Rafael Epstein for AM.