Iraq littered with high levels of nuclear and dioxin contamination, study finds

[cal04]

• Greater rates of cancer and birth defects near sites
• Depleted uranium among poisons revealed in report
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/jan/22/iraq-nuclear-contaminated-sites

More than 40 sites across Iraq are contaminated with high levels or radiation and dioxins, with three decades of war and neglect having left environmental ruin in large parts of the country, an official Iraqi study has found.

Areas in and near Iraq's largest towns and cities, including Najaf, Basra and Falluja, account for around 25% of the contaminated sites, which appear to coincide with communities that have seen increased rates of cancer and birth defects over the past five years. The joint study by the environment, health and science ministries found that scrap metal yards in and around Baghdad and Basra contain high levels of ionising radiation, which is thought to be a legacy of depleted uranium used in munitions during the first Gulf war and since the 2003 invasion.

The environment minister, Narmin Othman, said high levels of dioxins on agricultural lands in southern Iraq, in particular, were increasingly thought to be a key factor in a general decline in the health of people living in the poorest parts of the country.

(snip)
The Guardian reported in November claims by local doctors of a massive rise in birth defects in the city, particularly neural tube defects, which afflict the spinal cords and brains of newborns. "We are aware of the reports, but we must be cautious in reaching conclusions about causes," Othman said. "The general health of the city is not good. There is no sewerage system there and there is a lot of stagnant household waste, creating sickness that is directly affecting genetics. We do know, however, that a lot of depleted uranium was used there.

[Bobbieo]

1. When willl mankind learn that we cannot mess with radiation in any form!

[era veteran]

2. The military should quit using depleted uranium now

Where did the dioxin come from? We aren't using agent orange again are we?

[TheWraith]

3. Once again, depleted uranium produces virtually no ionizing radiation.

It's primary danger is heavy metal toxicity. If they're really finding high levels of ionizing radiation, then there's something else in there. Most probably scrap metal from Iraq's nuclear program back in the 1980s.

As for dioxins, they're a common byproduct of many kinds of incineration. Not at all surprising that Iraq is a soup of them, after the oil well fires in Kuwait, the bombing and burning of suspected chemical weapons sites, the number of Iraqi military vehicles burned on the highway retreat in the Gulf War, and who knows how many fires during the current war including the periodic use of white phosphorous.

[Maat]

4. Well, something's going on ...

because in a television piece I witnessed a reporter was holding up a geiger-counter to one of our damaged tanks. Things were going off of the charts, so-to-speak, in terms of the radiation level. So, it's b.s. that there's no dangerous radiation emanating from one of our weapons/tanks in which depleted uranium just happens to be a part.

[era veteran]

5. Heavy metal toxicity is bad enough

There is a dust cloud, at every impact, of breathable d.u. crap. The military lies all the time about what will or won't hurt you.