OpEdNews » 6,700 Tons of Contaminated Sand Shipped From Kuwait to Boise

July 10, 2008 at 18:55:08

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Promoted to Headline (H3) on 7/10/08:
6,700 Tons of Contaminated Sand Shipped From Kuwait to Boise

by Dr. Doug Rokke, Ph.D. (Posted by Sherwood Ross) Page 1 of 1 page(s)

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(Note: Dr. Doug Rokke is the former Director of the U.S. Army's Depleted Uranium Project. It was his task to clean up the radioactive battlefields of the Gulf War.

Today, this leading opponent of nuclear warfare is vitally concerned that sand contaminated by radioactive munitions exploded in the Middle East has been shipped to Idaho for burial. And more, much more. He asked me to call his warning to public attention. --- Sherwood Ross, Trusted Author, OpEdNews)

During the summer of 1991, the United States military had collected artillery, tanks, Bradley fighting vehicles, conventional and unconventional munitions, trucks, etc. at Camp Doha in Kuwait.

As result of carelessness this weapons depot caught fire with consequent catastrophic explosion resulting in death, injury, illness and extensive environmental contamination from depleted uranium and conventional explosives.

Recently the emirate of Kuwait required the United States Department of Defense to remove the contamination. Consequently, over 6,700 tons of contaminated soil sand and other residue was collected and has been shipped back to the United States for burial by American Ecology at Boise Idaho.

When Bob Nichols, an investigative journalist, and I contacted American Ecology we found out that they had absolutely no knowledge of U.S. Army Regulation 700-48, U.S. Army PAM 700-48, U.S. Army Technical Bulletin 9-1300-278, and all of the medical orders dealing with depleted uranium contamination, environmental remediation procedures, safety, and medical care .

They had never heard of U.S. Environmental Protection Agency guidelines for dealing with mixed – hazardous waste such as radioactive materials and conventional explosives byproducts. (reference "Approaches for the Remediation of Federal Facility Sites Contaminated with Explosives or Radioactive Wastes", EPA/625/R-93/013, September 1993).

The shipment across the ocean, unloading at Longview, Washington State port, transport by rail, and burial in Idaho endangers not only the residents of these areas but poses a significant agricultural threat through introduction of pests, microbes, etc. foreign to our nation.

Sadly the known adverse health and environmental hazards from uranium weapons contamination are in our own backyard. The EPA has listed the former Nuclear Metals- Starmet uranium weapons manufacturing site in Concord Ma. On EPA’s Superfund National Priority List because it poses a significant risk to public health and the environment.

Consequently the community in which our nation was born on April 18, 1775 is now the location of America’s own closed dirty bomb factory that will endanger the health and safety of the descendants of our original patriots- “the Minutemen”.

The previous delivery of at least 100 GBU 28 bunker busters bombs containing depleted uranium warheads by the United States and their use by Israel against Lebanese targets has resulted in additional radioactive and chemical toxic contamination with consequent adverse health and environmental effects throughout the middle east. Israeli tank gunners are also using depleted uranium tank rounds as photographs verify.

Today, U.S., British, and now Israeli military personnel are using illegal uranium munitions- America's and England's own "dirty bombs" while U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, and British Ministry of Defence officials deny that there are any adverse health and environmental effects as a consequence of the manufacture, testing, and/or use of uranium munitions to avoid liability for the willful and illegal dispersal of a radioactive toxic material - depleted uranium.

The use of uranium weapons is absolutely unacceptable, and a crime against humanity. Consequently the citizens of the world and all governments must force cessation of uranium weapons use. I must demand that Israel now provide medical care to all DU casualties in Lebanon and clean up all DU contamination.

U.S. and British officials have arrogantly refused to comply with their own regulations, orders, and directives that require United States Department of Defense officials to provide prompt and effective medical care to "all" exposed individuals.

Reference: Medical Management of Unusual Depleted Uranium Casualties, DOD, Pentagon, 10/14/93, Medical Management of Army personnel Exposed to Depleted Uranium (DU) Headquarters, U.S. Army Medical Command 29 April 2004, and section 2-5 of U.S. Army Regulation 700-48. Israeli officials must not do so now.

They also refuse to clean up dispersed radioactive Contamination as required by Army Regulation- AR 700-48: "Management of Equipment Contaminated With Depleted Uranium or Radioactive Commodities"

(Headquarters, Department Of The Army, Washington, D.C., September 2002) and U.S. Army Technical Bulletin- TB 9-1300-278: "Guidelines For Safe Response To Handling, Storage, And Transportation Accidents Involving Army Tank Munitions Or Armor Which Contain Depleted Uranium" (Headquarters, Department Of The Army, Washington, D.C., JULY 1996). Specifically section 2-4 of United States Army Regulation-AR 700-48 dated September 16, 2002 requires that:

(1) "Military personnel "identify, segregate, isolate, secure, and label all RCE" (radiologically contaminated equipment).

(2) "Procedures to minimize the spread of radioactivity will be implemented as soon as possible."

(3) "Radioactive material and waste will not be locally disposed of through burial, submersion, incineration, destruction in place, or abandonment" and

(4) "All equipment, to include captured or combat RCE, will be surveyed, packaged, retrograded, decontaminated and released IAW Technical Bulletin 9-1300-278, DA PAM 700-48" (Note: Maximum exposure limits are specified in Appendix F).

DOD leaders are not showing the DU training tapes to military personnel. These three video tapes: (1) "Depleted Uranium Hazard Awareness", (2) "Contaminated and Damaged Equipment Management", and (3) "Operation of the AN/PDR 77 Radiac Set" are essential to understanding the hazards from the use of uranium weapons and management of uranium weapons contamination. DOD leaders must show these tapes to all military personnel involved in the use of uranium weapons and the consequent management of uranium contamination.

The previous and current use of uranium weapons, the release of radioactive components in destroyed U.S. and foreign military equipment, and releases of industrial, medical, research facility radioactive materials have resulted in unacceptable exposures. Therefore, decontamination must be completed as required by U.S. Army Regulation 700-48 and should include releases of all radioactive materials resulting from military operations.

The extent of adverse health and environmental effects of uranium weapons contamination is not limited to combat zones in the Balkans, Iraq, and Afghanistan but includes facilities and sites where uranium weapons were manufactured or tested including Vieques; Puerto Rico; Colonie, New York; Concord, MA; Jefferson Proving Grounds, Indiana; and Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.

Therefore medical care must be provided by the United States Department of Defense officials to all individuals affected by the manufacturing, testing, and/or use of uranium munitions. Thorough environmental remediation also must be completed without further delay.

I am amazed that fifteen years after was I asked to clean up the initial DU mess from Gulf War 1 and over ten years since I finished the depleted uranium project that United States Department of Defense officials and others still attempt to justify uranium munitions use while ignoring mandatory requirements.

I am dismayed that Department of Defense and Department of Energy officials and representatives continue personal attacks aimed to silence or discredit those of us who are demanding that medical care be provided to all DU casualties and that environmental remediation is completed in compliance with U.S. Army Regulation 700-48.

But beyond the ignored mandatory actions the willful dispersal of tons of solid radioactive and chemically toxic waste in the form of uranium munitions is illegal (http://www.traprockpeace.org/karen_parker_du_illegality.pdf) and just does not even pass the common sense test and according to the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, DHS, is a dirty bomb. DHS issued "dirty bomb" response guidelines, http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html, on January 3, 2006 for incidents within the United States but ignore DOD use of uranium weapons and existing DOD regulations.

These guidelines specifically state that: "Characteristics of RDD and IND Incidents: A radiological incident is defined as an event or series of events, deliberate or accidental, leading to the release, or potential release, into the environment of radioactive material in sufficient quantity to warrant consideration of protective actions. Use of an RDD or IND is an act of terror that produces a radiological incident."

Thus the use of uranium munitions is "an act or terror" as defined by DHS. Finally continued compliance with the infamous March 1991 Los Alamos Memorandum that was issued to ensure continued use of uranium munitions can not be justified.

In conclusion: the President of the United States- George W. Bush, the Prime Minister of Great Britain-Gordon Brown, and the Prime Minister of Israel Olmert must acknowledge and accept responsibility for willful use of illegal uranium munitions- their own "dirty bombs"- resulting in adverse health and environmental effects.

President Bush, Prime Minister Brown, and Prime Minister Olmert should order:
1. medical care for all casualties,
2. thorough environmental remediation,
3. immediate cessation of retaliation against all of us who demand compliance with medical care and environmental remediation requirements,
4. and stop the already illegal the use (UN finding) of depleted uranium munitions.
References- these references are copies the actual regulations and orders and other pertinent official documents:
http://www.traprockpeace.org/twomemos.html
http://www.traprockpeace.org/rokke_du_3_ques.html
http://www.traprockpeace.org/du_dtic_wakayama_Aug2002.html
http://www.traprockpeace.org/karen_parker_du_illegality.pdf
http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html
http://cryptome.org/dhs010306.txt
http://www.boston.com/news/local/articles/2008/05/15/razing_urged_for_waste_site/ http://www.tdn.com/articles/2008/04/29/area_news/doc4816651072f72767559743.txt>

Photo by David Silverman (Getty Images ) Image 71440735 http://editorial.gettyimages.com

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15 comments

AllDems08

Sickening

I learned about DU around 2004 and have read about it extensively. It's horrifying.

Do the Iraqis even know about the dangers of DU and that it will pollute their homeland ... causing horrible disease due to exposure ... forever? bush's WMD gift that keeps on giving. It seems to me this is far worse than Saddam.

What's going on in Idaho? Didn't they just "win" a contract for a nuclear reactor that was rejected by Washington state because [if I remember correctly] there would be contaminated water released into streams? Glow in the dark spuds, anybody?

I would like to know how many of our illustrious congressmen and women know about or understand the impact of DU.

Would they have voted to continue this illegitimate war if they knew?

Considering the fact that 70 of them haven't been privy to information regarding the FISA bill they just voted to continue ... I wouldn't be surprised to learn they are in the DARK about most critical issues.

This is UNACCEPTABLE.

Is Barack Obama informed on DU? I think he should be contacted immediately - to find out - and if he doesn't understand the impact, he should be illuminated on the subject.

If, after they all KNOW, they continue to fund this war -- they should be prosecuted for their complicity in this crime.

And maybe, if they are educated, they will finally rise up to the task of IMPEACHMENT.

Thanks for posting this article. It will take some time to read all the accompanying links. I think I will print the whole shebang and send copies to both of my useless senators here in GA. At least they will have been presented with the information.

by AllDems08 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 90 comments) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 1:40:11 AM

(0+)

Sherwood Ross

Reply: Thanks for sending this article around!

Thanks for sending this article around! You ask a lot of good questions, and the people responsible for the radioactive ammunition horror need to be called to account to answer for. -- Sherwood Ross P.S. The stuff is "radioactive ammunition" and should be called that, not "depleted uranium."

by Sherwood Ross (222 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 155 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 2:48:46 AM

(0+)

AllDems08

Reply: A Question

Are you asking me [us] to start using the term "radioactive ammunition" rather than DU when referring to any use of depleted uranium?

Like I try to remind people it's not "vote fraud" it's "election fraud." ??

TIA for clarification.

by AllDems08 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 90 comments) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 5:16:36 PM

(0+)

AllDems08

Reply: Oops, hit publish button by mistake

I do wish we could edit our comments after publishing ... :-(

You did make it clear we should call depleted uranium "radioactive ammunition," but since everyone knows it as "DU," maybe use both terms together?

Radioactive Ammunition, otherwise known as DU ... something like that?

by AllDems08 (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 90 comments) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 5:35:23 PM

(0+)

Tony Forest

Do Senators have time to read?

Recently the emirate of Kuwait required the United States Department of Defense to remove the contamination. Consequently, over 6,700 tons of contaminated soil sand and other residue was collected and has been shipped back to the United States for burial by American Ecology at Boise Idaho.

and

U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Energy, U.S. Department of Defense, and British Ministry of Defence officials deny that there are any adverse health and environmental effects as a consequence of the manufacture, testing, and/or use of uranium munitions....

The emirate of Kuwait appears to know more about DU than all of the above mentioned Militarys. Let me read that once more, a bit slower....

"Recently the emirate of Kuwait required the United States Department of Defense to remove the contamination."

If DU is harmless, why did DoD give in and remove the sand without further ado? If they are convinced DU is harmless, why were they not able to convince the emirat?

Sherwood, thank you for re-posting this here.

by Tony Forest (7 articles, 18 quicklinks, 166 diaries, 1429 comments [5 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 2:46:31 AM

(0+)

Bob Gormley

Should Have

Should have dumped the DU at Bush's ranch.

If it's harmless as they say he should have no problem with it, right?

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 1094 comments [65 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 10:58:08 AM

(0+)

Sherwood Ross

Reply: Very funny but impeachment is preferable to revenge

Revenge achieves nothing; justice achieves everything. -- Sherwood

by Sherwood Ross (222 articles, 0 quicklinks, 1 diaries, 155 comments [4 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 11:02:03 AM

(0+)

Bob Gormley

Reply: Somehow

Somehow that seems like justice.

Although he would be getting away easy at that .

by Bob Gormley (1 articles, 0 quicklinks, 3 diaries, 1094 comments [65 recommended, 0 rejected]) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 5:59:17 PM

(0+)

Shannon Rudolph

BLESS YOU SAINT DOUG!!!

BREAKING NEWS FROM THE LAND OF ALOHA: (good news and bad)
The Hawaii Island County Council just voted 8 to 1 in favor of a resolution to shut down the Pohakuloa Training Range until all of the DU is cleaned up, also, to have babysitters for army testing. Hooray for Hawaii County! FIRST in the country and may it spread like wildfire!

The navy, is currently doing war games in the Northwest Hawaiian Islands and almost all of their ammo is DU, as told by a navy guy. Stupid humans.

In less than 200 days we can can call in the REAL EPA!!!

Mahalo OPEDNews for this forum! SEND MONEY, YOU GUYS!!! Rob needs your help to continue to bring us REAL news!

by Shannon Rudolph (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 14 comments) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 3:04:56 PM

(0+)

Wolfie

JUST KEEP ON DIGGING YOUR OWN GRAVES

We used DU in 91 in Iraq, then in Kosovo in 98, now in Afghanistan and Iraq

in 2003 to the present. Enough said. How many of you geniuses viewed

the Leuren Moret videos I sent in my other comments?

What did you learn from them? Is anybody out there on planet Earth who is

intelligent. If you are ,I would like to make contact because I feel lonely

here being ignored by the ubermensch of liberalism and free will.

by Wolfie (9 articles, 0 quicklinks, 33 diaries, 1208 comments) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 4:47:13 PM

(0+)

Andrew Abraham

DU and Congress

I am wondering if all the members of Congress and members of the Bush Administration, including GW himself would equal the weight that was shipped, oh what the hell, throw them into it and bury them along side with the DU.

by Andrew Abraham (0 articles, 0 quicklinks, 0 diaries, 6 comments) on Friday, Jul 11, 2008 at 5:25:59 PM

(0+)

Alan Williams

re: Bless you saint Doug

"BREAKING NEWS FROM THE LAND OF ALOHA: (good news and bad)
The Hawaii Island County Council just voted 8 to 1 in favor of a resolution to shut down the Pohakuloa Training Range until all of the DU is cleaned up" -- Shannon Rudolph

This is only a resolution, is it not? There is no legal obligation by the military to pay any attention to it. It's only a matter of a bunch of guys/gals giving their opinion. No more significant than the City of Berkley passing a resolution demanding the end of the Iraq deployment.

Isn't this still all about those Davy Crockett tail-fins? In order to even begin to be a possible hazard, DU needs to be aerosolized into fine particles and someone needs to be close up and personal enough to get a huge dose up their nose. This is unrealistic even when actual DU penetrators are in use, which they never have been in Hawaii, have they?