MoD to test depleted uranium shells in Scotland
The Ministry of Defence is to resume test-firing a limited number of its depleted uranium (DU) tank-killing rounds in Scotland this week to verify the safety of the controversial ammunition.
The tests at the Dundrennan range overlooking the Solway Firth will be the first using the radioactive DU rounds since 2001 and will involve a small number of shots against paper targets to avoid the risk of contamination from a toxic dust plume that can result from a direct hit on armour or other solid objects.
The trial will be conducted by QinetiQ on behalf of the MoD and is expected to last about two days.
The Army fired an average 300 rounds annually at Dundrennan, Kirkcudbright, for 20 years up to 2001 to "prove" samples selected at random from batches of rounds supplied by Royal Ordnance.
Despite claims that contamination from the use of DU tank and aircraft cannon shells during the Kosovo campaign and in both Gulf wars had caused cancer and leukemia among those exposed to the debris, the MoD insists there is no conclusive evidence pointing to cancer risks.
Seven Italian soldiers who served briefly in the combat zone in Kosovo later died of cancer and a rash of claims followed from British and American troops over illness they attributed to inhalation of the toxic dust.
An MoD spokeswoman said yesterday: "The firings are necessary to carry out safety checks on the ammunition, which is currently needed for military operations."
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Posted by: MrC, Kelvinbridge on 1:50am Tue 11 Mar 08
I wrote a letter about this to this organ on Mo nday about this issue and it wasn't published. Booooooo
I wrote a letter about this to this organ on Mo nday about this issue and it wasn't published. Booooooo
Posted by: MrC, Kelvinbridge on 1:51am Tue 11 Mar 08
oh yeah, in case anyone is interested I asked if this was part of the 'union dividend'
oh yeah, in case anyone is interested I asked if this was part of the 'union dividend'
Posted by: Boabby, Vancouver Island on 4:45am Tue 11 Mar 08
Why can't this "safety test" be carried out in the Thames estuary?
Please, Scotland---vote SNP at every opportunity---we MUST have independence~! This filth has been fired into the Solway for scores of years ; long past time to say "enough"!!
Why can't this "safety test" be carried out in the Thames estuary?
Please, Scotland---vote SNP at every opportunity---we MUST have independence~! This filth has been fired into the Solway for scores of years ; long past time to say "enough"!!
Posted by: Donald Anderson, glasgow on 6:45am Tue 11 Mar 08
Depleted uranium weapon tests anger 43 minutes ago
The Scottish Government has accused the Ministry of Defence of ignoring "local opinion" after it announced a fresh series of controversial weapons tests north of the border. Scottish ministers said the MoD failed to consult them before deciding on the new round of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition testing. These are the first such tests at the Dundrennan range in Kirkcudbrightshire in five years. (From Chuck Hamilton. Tennessee).
http://ukpress.googl
e.com/article/ALeqM5
h4M3fHRohgOrYPA8VEVz
kHYzopYA
Depleted uranium weapon tests anger 43 minutes ago
The Scottish Government has accused the Ministry of Defence of ignoring "local opinion" after it announced a fresh series of controversial weapons tests north of the border. Scottish ministers said the MoD failed to consult them before deciding on the new round of depleted uranium (DU) ammunition testing. These are the first such tests at the Dundrennan range in Kirkcudbrightshire in five years. (From Chuck Hamilton. Tennessee).
http://ukpress.googl
e.com/article/ALeqM5
h4M3fHRohgOrYPA8VEVz
kHYzopYA
Posted by: McSomeone, Scotland on 1:58pm Tue 11 Mar 08
Why am I not surprised at this. It doesn't matter if they upset the natives north of the border just so long as they don't upset the white middle class nimbys back home. They might vote them out of their nice comfortable positions at the trough.
You'd think after having them in use for over thirty years and having used them extensively in GW1 they'd have at least a little knowledge and understanding of the long term harmful effects to anyone involve in or on the batlefield and after.
Why am I not surprised at this. It doesn't matter if they upset the natives north of the border just so long as they don't upset the white middle class nimbys back home. They might vote them out of their nice comfortable positions at the trough.
You'd think after having them in use for over thirty years and having used them extensively in GW1 they'd have at least a little knowledge and understanding of the long term harmful effects to anyone involve in or on the batlefield and after.
Posted by: Scunnert, Travelling in Nihlon on 4:52pm Tue 11 Mar 08
[quote][bold]MrC[/bold] wrote:
I wrote a letter about this to this organ on Mo nday about this issue and it wasn't published. Booooooo[/quote] I've emailed Sepa asking what they intend to do about it. Perhaps others should as well?
MrC wrote:
I wrote a letter about this to this organ on Mo nday about this issue and it wasn't published. Booooooo
I've emailed Sepa asking what they intend to do about it. Perhaps others should as well?
Posted by: alexmonty, London on 10:02am Fri 14 Mar 08
The Scottish people should fiercely oppose there testing on their soil and bring into question there global use.
The weapons contain radioactive waste from nuclear power stations or weapons. They hit real targets not paper ones in the field. When they explode they send a cloud of radioactive dust which can be internalised by soldiers and civilians causing massive cancers.
It is basic schoolboy chemistry that internalising the alpha particles from radiation is lethal and for the MOD to say that they are safe is them dismissing basic chemistry. Therefore the weapons use and manufacture contravene the Geneva convention as they do not distinguish between the killing/ injuring of soldiers and civilians and under international law , a private individual has the right to try and prevent there use. Radiatioactive waste remains radioactive for a billion years and to 'clean up' sites where they have been used is largely impractical. Also the future lawsuits against the British government could be massive. They're use and manufacture is beginning to legitimise the use of radiological weapons in conventional warfare. There was some 2000 tonnes reportedly used in the gulf war.
They were used in the Balklans war too.
France, China, Greece, Thailand, India, Israel, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, UK, US ( 16 million shells), Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Taiwan all have DU minitions.
Barclays Bank invests in DU manufacturers
Dirty Planet.
The Scottish people should fiercely oppose there testing on their soil and bring into question there global use.
The weapons contain radioactive waste from nuclear power stations or weapons. They hit real targets not paper ones in the field. When they explode they send a cloud of radioactive dust which can be internalised by soldiers and civilians causing massive cancers.
It is basic schoolboy chemistry that internalising the alpha particles from radiation is lethal and for the MOD to say that they are safe is them dismissing basic chemistry. Therefore the weapons use and manufacture contravene the Geneva convention as they do not distinguish between the killing/ injuring of soldiers and civilians and under international law , a private individual has the right to try and prevent there use. Radiatioactive waste remains radioactive for a billion years and to 'clean up' sites where they have been used is largely impractical. Also the future lawsuits against the British government could be massive. They're use and manufacture is beginning to legitimise the use of radiological weapons in conventional warfare. There was some 2000 tonnes reportedly used in the gulf war.
They were used in the Balklans war too.
France, China, Greece, Thailand, India, Israel, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, UK, US ( 16 million shells), Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Russia, Taiwan all have DU minitions.
Barclays Bank invests in DU manufacturers
Dirty Planet.
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