Uranium naturally occurs in uncontaminated soil at 3 parts per billion. But this unseen toxin in on the rise in our environment. All forms of uranium are radioactive. It now seems that the use of uranium as a nuclear fuel and nuclear weapon has opened a pandora's box. Uranium exists in different isotopic forms mixed together in nature. In order for uranium to be used as a fuel or explosive, a special isotopic form of uranium must be extracted from the rest of the naturally occurring isotopic forms leaving the rest behind as a waste product called depleted uranium.
The name depleted uranium is a misnomer. A person might think that depleted uranium is depleted of radioactivity, but that is far from the case. Depleted uranium is radioactive and is still very toxic and dangerous. Just being close to it for any length of time is hazardous due to the radiation emitted. In addition to its radioactivity, uranium is chemically toxic to the body. Think of uranium like lead. It is a heavy metal that can accumulate in our internal organs. The body can not easily excrete it and it is very toxic. "The U.S. Department of Energy currently maintains a stockpile in excess of 1.1 billion pounds of depleted uranium waste material." That is a lot of toxic waste! Where is it all? And does any of it end up to be stored improperly?
We would think that the government would stringently forbid depleted
uranium for any industrial or commercial uses. Very tragically, this
is not the case. In fact, depleted uranium and is being used for
civilian jet liner counter weights, enamel glaze colorants, glass colorants,
military munitions, fertilizer additives, smoke detector equipment, etc.
Uranium caused diseases are on the rise. And thanks to civilian Iraqi
Gulf War victims of depleted uranium exposure due to United States and
United Kingdom munitions we can see what is in store for us down the line.
See Uramium and Aplastic Anemia.
Findings on Uranium Tailings -- from Official Documents
Uranium: The Deadliest Metal
URANIUM: A Discussion Guide, QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS by Dr. Gordon Edwards et al.
Uranium: Known Facts and Hidden Dangers (Salzburg address)
Gulf War Veterans and Depleted Uranium (Bertell 99/05)
Why to avoid eating fish..."From 1946 to 1970 approximately 90,000 cannisters of radioactive waste were jettisoned in 50 ocean dumps up and down the East and West coasts of the U.S., including prime fishing areas, as part of the early nuclear waste disposal program from the military's atomic weapons program. The waste also included contaminated tools, chemicals, and laboratory glassware from weapons laboratories, and commercial/medical facilities."
"U.S. Proposes Uranium Waste Plants
By MATTHEW L. WALD
The Energy Department plans to announce this week that it wants to build two plants, at a cost of nearly $200 million each, that will gradually turn 1.5 billion pounds of depleted uranium into marketable products or waste that can be safely stored. T ...
March 2, 1999, Tuesday
National Desk , 946 words "
To purchase this article, go to www.nytimes.com, search under premium articles, etc.
Before there was depleted uranium, uranium was being used to make beautiful glassware in Europe. This glassware is still radioactive. Discover more details from the online glass museum here.
OFFICE OF DEPLETED URANIUM HEXAFLUORIDE MANAGEMENT.
"Over the last four decades, large quantities of uranium were processed using the gaseous diffusion process in order to produce enriched uranium for national defense and civilian purposes. Depleted uranium hexafluoride (DUF6) was generated as a byproduct of the process and was stored at the three uranium enrichment sites. A relatively small portion was converted to metal or oxide for other uses." Learn about the three storage facilities for depleted uranium from the government link here.
World Information Service on Energy--Uranium Project
RAMA's Depleted Uranium Page
October 18, 1999
Oregon -- Two contractors at the Hanford nuclear reservation, Bechtel Hanford Inc. and Roy F. Weston Inc., allegedly continued work despite discovering hundreds of barrels of uranium waste and oils laced with PCBs. Weston employee Matthew Taylor filed a complaint with the Labor Department that Weston had employees remove 350 of the barrels with their bare hands, and alleges that he was harassed after blowing the whistle. Weston’s now settled the harassment claim (Portland Oregonian, Oct. 13).
and ...
June 14, 1999
In New Mexico, 2000 members of indigenous tribe met from June 10-13, for the 10th Annual Protecting Mother Earth conference. The conference was held in the Laguna Pueblo, near the Jackpile Mine which was the largest open-pit uranium mine in the world, and had a particularly focus on the dangers of mining.
"SEATTLE (AP) - Toxic heavy metals, chemicals and radioactive
wastes are being recycled as fertilizer and spread over farmers' fields
nationwide - and there is no federal law requiring that they be listed
as ingredients, The Seattle Times reported."
According to soils scientists, industries are calling all the time to find out how they can recycle their hazardous wastes into fertilizer. In at least 26 states, according to the series, programs exist to try to match hazardous waste generators with "recyclers." Rufus Chaney of U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Research Service said, "It is irresponsible to create unnecessary limits that cost a hell of a lot of money." He explained , "Recycle and reuse, that’s our national strategy. It costs so much more to put it in a landfill. And if the recycling program avoids any chance of risk, then it’s a responsible program."
"Again, the plan involves the release of numerous radionuclides, including plutonium, americium,
strontium-90, uranium, radium, and a host of others, in solution with scores of volatile organic toxins, toxic metals, PCB's dioxins, etc. While Metro now proposes to release PLUTONIUM at up to 24 piC/L (more than 150 X higher than Colorado's already absurd drinking water level of .15), as well as similarly high levels of radionuclides (see attached file; I hope it is readable). EPA has attempted to deny that plutonium is even there, despite extensive evidence from their own files that it is. Rocky Flats dumped there, records show, and an eyewitness law enforcement officer reported, as well as several other area AEC contractors. "
Recycling toxic waste for human consumption has a history going back to 1931 when industry adapted the myth that toxic fluoride is good and essential for strong teeth and bones. Dumping uranium into our food chain just follows naturally.
"Better biocompatible materials to be made available to replace mercury, palladium, uranium and mixed heavy metals in fillings."