are there any radiation risks?
The IAEA says inhaled or ingested uranium can be harmful “in sufficient amounts” because of its “chemical toxicity”.
Its main risk is chemical, rather than radioactive. In high concentrations in the body, uranium can cause kidney failure because of its chemical toxicity, for example.
However, as with any radioactive material, there are cancer risks. But it could take years for any effects to show.
When it comes to DU, the risks are lower. Depleted uranium is considerably less radioactive than natural uranium.
But with shells containing DU, the main risk is of inhaling aerosols released on impact with an armoured target.
Longer-term risks are possible from DU left behind in the soil on battlefields, for example. There are some concerns DU could contaminate water or food supplies if it seeps into the soil in the wrong place over the years. The risk decreases as time goes on, though.
Therefore, the IAEA highlights the riskiest level of contact as handling a shell or other type of DU ammunition directly.
The Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND) has called on the British government to “introduce an immediate moratorium” on its use of ammunition using depleted uranium.
It also argues the government should support a global ban on its use in conventional weapons, while helping to clean up areas where they have been used.
Some countries, like Belgium and Costa Rica, have already banned the use of uranium in conventional ammunition.
On its website, the CND says: “Its use has a devastating impact on civilians caught up in conflicts across the world.”
The International Coalition to Ban Uranium Weapons was based in Manchester but has since moved to Berlin.