Depleted uranium munitions are bad news for enemy tanks, but are not nuclear weapons, and studies have shown that they pose low risks of radiation or chemical exposure.
  • fubo@lemmy.worldEnglish
    0·
    3 years ago

    My understanding is that DU is only a little more harmful than lead, which is a toxic metal that remains popular for ammunition all over the world for the same reason: its density.

    • ActuallyASeal@lemmy.worldEnglish
      0·
      3 years ago

      Pretty much what the article says.

      The alpha radiation that DU emits is not strong enough to penetrate human skin, so just being near depleted uranium is not a health risk. But it may become a health hazard if it is ingested or inhaled, or shrapnel fragments are retained in the body.

      It’s really just one more hazard a former battlefield can have. If I was in or around a former battlefield that had DU rounds used, I would be more concerned about unexploded high explosives.

      • fubo@lemmy.worldEnglish
        1·
        3 years ago

        I don’t wanna inhale lead vapors either. Let’s try to avoid having wars.