Re: Moving nerve gas waste is criticized

[Tara Thornton <tara@miltoxproj.org>]

Ground Zero Center for Nonviolent Action, Poulsbo, Washington
Website: www.gzcenter.org  E-mail: info@gzcenter.org

Traprock Peace Center, Deerfield, Massachusetts
Website: www.traprockpeace.org  E-mail: traprock@crocker.com

Military Toxics Project, Lewiston, Maine
Website: www.miltoxproj.org  Email: mtp@miltoxproj.org

Nukewatch, Luck, Wisconsin
Website: www.nukewatch.com  E-mail: nukewatch@lakeland.ws

Depleted Uranium Munitions Action Plan

The United States military does not want civilian populations to know how
and when depleted uranium (DU) munitions are being shipped through their
communities for fear of "unnecessary public concern about the radiation
risks associated with DU munitions." Normally this type of shipment would be
labeled with both Department of Transportation (DOT) "Radioactive" and
"Explosive" placards.  Branches of the U.S. military, however, have a
special Department of Transportation exemption, DOT-E 9649, which allows
them to ship DU munitions without the "Radioactive" placard.   The exemption
must be renewed every few years by the DOT and the Military Traffic
Management Command.

The current DU munitions shipping exemption expires on June 30, 2004.
Public pressure could force the DOT to not renew the next application for
exemption by the Military Traffic Management Command.

Why should we care about DU shipments while devastation continues in foreign
countries from the actual use of this radioactive weapon?  By understanding
the danger of shipping DU through our neighborhoods, we will better
understand the damage done by firing DU in neighborhoods in other countries
in our name.

By identifying shipments of DU munitions en route to military bases inside
the United States for deployment overseas, we open the opportunity to expose
and eventually stop the shipments.

What to do.

Contact the Department of Transportation Exemptions division and ask that
the DOT immediately terminate and not renew DOT-E 9649.   Depleted uranium
munitions should have a "Radioactive" placard and an "Explosives" placard on
shipments.  Depleted uranium is an extremely toxic material and much more
dangerous when shipped with an explosive propellant as in the case of DU
munitions.  In case of a fire, first responders (local police and fire
fighters) would have no idea the shipment contained radioactive material.

Send correspondence regarding DOT-E 9649 to:

Mr. Delmer Billings  DHM-31
Director, Office of Hazardous Materials
Exemptions and Approvals
Department of Transportation
400 7th St. SW
Washington, D.C.   20590

Fax:  (202) 366-3308
E-mail:  delmer.billings@rspa.dot.gov

Please also (if you want) send a copy to info@gzcenter.org
Please share this information with others and local officials.

DU Shipping information

Depleted uranium (DU) munitions are deployed by the United States military
in a number of weapons systems in various locations in the United States and
other nations.   DU munitions, in our time of endless war, are shipped on a
daily basis on our nation's highways, railways, waterways, and through
foreign nations.

DU munitions are a uniquely hazardous material, consisting of a radioactive
penetrator which breaks down into small particles when burned, and an
explosive charge or combustible propellant in the shell of the cartridge.
In an accident scenario, DU munitions on our highways or railways can burn
and spread radioactive material.   The DU shipments are, in essence, the
"dirty bomb" that our government warns us about.

In the case of an accident involving a fire, it is very likely the driver
would be incapacitated.  The driver would not be able to communicate to
others that radioactive material is involved in the fire, making it
impossible for first responders to correctly control the fire and protect
the public from radioactive material.

Three U.S. government documents best describe the purposes and dangers
behind DU shipments and DOT-E 9649.

U.S. Military Reasons for DOT-E 9649

The original application to the DOT in 1986 from the Military Traffic
Management Command stated three reasons for the special exemption for DU
munitions.   The application for exemption also showed the U.S. military
knew in 1986 that DU munitions shipments were a potentially controversial
issue.

A letter from the U.S. Army Military Traffic Management Command dated August
11, 1986 stated, "There are three reasons for transporting DOD DU munitions
without drawing public attention by placarding trucks or marking munitions
containers as radioactive.  First, marking the outside of the DU munitions
containers as radioactive may create friction with foreign governments when
foreign nations handle DU munitions during shipping, loading or unloading.
Secondly, we do not want to generate unnecessary public concern about the
radiation risks associated with DU munitions.  Thirdly, we do not want to
raise public concerns by placarding trucks with the words "Radioactive" and
"Explosive" since the combination of these two hazard class placards may be
construed to mean that nuclear weapons are being shipped when this simply is
not the case."

The Danger

A May 14, 1984 Material Safety Data Sheet on depleted uranium stated the
hazards of a fire involving DU.

8. Should DU be handled in powdered form or should a DU penetrator oxidize
resulting from a penetrator's involvement in an accident such as a fire,
then the intake of DU aerosol or ash via inhalation, ingestion or absorption
presents an internal hazard.
9. Depending upon the solubility of the particular DU compound in body
fluids, it may also be toxic, particularly to the kidney.
10. Should an accident occur or DU corrosion be discovered, clean up and
decontamination should be performed only by authorized personnel.
11. Anyone who may have inadvertently come in contact with material that is
potentially contaminated with DU should be surveyed for contamination by
authorized personnel as soon as possible, remove any clothing which may be
contaminated, wash hands, arms, face and any other exposed parts of the body
with soap and water.  Do not eat, drink, smoke or apply cosmetics before
being satisfactorily decontaminated.

The August 2002 Navy Radioactive Materials Permit contains a supplement
showing the hazardous potential of a fire involving the shipment of DU.
The Navy permit application dated August 21, 2002 contained a lengthy but
informative section, applicable to any situation involving the combustion of
DU.

Transportation Accident/Incident w/Fire

When involved in a fire, depleted uranium (DU) may oxidize, generating a
downwind hazard in the form of a DU oxide dust plume.  The significant
health hazards associated with the dust plume are; 1) heavy metal poisoning
from inhalation of the dust, and 2) the radiological hazards associated with
inhalation of the dust.  First responder personnel should adhere to the
following information when approaching the scene of a DU fire.

a. First responders should approach the scene from upwind and assure all
non-emergency personnel are evacuated from all downwind areas.  First
responder personnel should wear self-contained breathing apparatus (SCBA)
respirators to protect against inhalation of any DU oxide dust or remain
upwind of the fire.  Evacuate the immediate vicinity of the accident and
notify the emergency number identified on the DD form 836.  In the event
that the DD form 836 is not available the on-scene commander should notify
the traffic manager at the nearest military base.
b. Because, the complete round of DU ammunition contains explosive
propellant an explosive hazard exists when fire is present.  In this case,
remain upwind and assure that essential and non-essential personnel are
moved to a safe distance as listed on the DD form 836, Fire Fighting
Instructions.  Use any available method to stay upwind of the smoke plume.
c. Each hazardous material shipment made by the Department of Defense
requires the vehicle driver to have in their possession a DD form 836, Fire
Fighting Instructions.  The DD form 836 contains the necessary withdrawal
distance for on-scene emergency personnel and public.  The on-scene
commander will assure these distances are strictly adhered to.  The on-scene
commander should establish a cordon of the accident area and assure all
personnel are evacuated from the downwind side.  The cordon can be increased
to limit the effects of wind changes or adverse weather conditions.
Establish an entry control point and monitor all personnel entering and
exiting the hazard zone.  Evaluate the fire scene and determine what actions
or non-actions to initiate.  In most cases, fire and ammunition don't mix
and fire fighting  personnel are relegated to observer status to assure the
fire doesn't spread or become more serious.
d. Contact the nearest Explosives Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit to inspect
the load and determine the extent of damage.  Navy EOD personnel are trained
in make-safe operations involving depleted uranium ammunition.  Navy EOD
personnel will also make all contacts to coordinate clean-up and disposal
actions required by U.S. Army Technical Assistance Team.
e. The establishment of a radiation contamination control line (RCCL) should
be established near the cordon entry control point and outside of the
contaminated area.  The number of emergency personnel who are to pass over
the RCCL should be kept to a minimum.  All personnel evacuated from the
established cordon should report to the RCCL radiation contamination for
screening.  The names, addresses, telephone number and monitoring results of
all personnel passing through the RCCL shall be recorded, whether
contaminated or not.
f. Personnel injured in the accident will be evacuated through medical
channels.  Injured personnel evacuated from the accident scene should be
wrapped in a white sheet and tagged to identify possible exposure to DU
contamination.  Medial treatment for serious injuries takes priority over
contamination surveys and decontamination efforts.
g. All materials including soil, clothing, packaging, pallets, vehicles and
dismembered parts, etc. shall be surveyed and declared radioactive free.
Contaminated materials should be disposed of per OPNAVNOTE 5100, Low Level
Radioactive Waste (LLWR) Disposal Program.  All materials found to be
radioactive free may be disposed of through normal methods.
h. Once the fire has been extinguished, a smaller controlled area around the
accident site must be maintained, until it has been surveyed by EOD and
radiological personnel and declared contamination free or the area
decontaminated per local, state and federal laws and regulations.
i. All emergency response personnel may be contaminated with DU.  Some of
the personnel may sustain injuries while working at the scene, they should
be decontaminated prior to receiving medical treatment, provided medical
personnel concur.  All equipment used at the fire scene shall be surveyed
for radioactive contamination and decontaminated at the RCCL.
j. After EOD has declared the area safe from an explosive standpoint,
radiation surveys will be performed to determine the extent of radioactive
contamination.  Areas noted to be contaminated shall be marked and
decontaminated as soon as possible.
k. The chain-of-command/local military community will assure that waste
receptacles are available, and located at the RCCL for disposal of
contaminated clothing and equipment.  Metal containers with lids should be
available with 4 mil plastic linings for solid waste.  Radioactive waste
should be held at the nearest Department of Defense installation, and
disposition instructions requested per OPNAV NOTICE 5100.
l. Damaged ammunition that is contamination free shall be repackaged and
reported to the applicable Program Manager, listed in appendix 1 to
Supplement 7, for disposition.
m. Specific guidance on packaging damaged DU ammunition may be obtained by
contacting the points of contact identified in Supplement 7, paragraph D.3
and D.4.

Not mentioned in the documents is how first responders would have any idea
that a burning truck with an "Explosives" placard might contain depleted
uranium.  This is because the U.S. government does not want anyone to know.


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Susan L Gawarecki" <loc@icx.net>
To: "CPEO" <cpeo-military@igc.topica.com>
Sent: Wednesday, February 04, 2004 11:38 AM
Subject: Re: Moving nerve gas waste is criticized


> According to DOT regulations, trucks transporting hazardous chemicals,
> explosives, and radioactive materials are placarded to reflect the
> nature of their load.  Emergency responders are trained to interpret the
> placards and respond to the situation accordingly.  While nerve gas is
> rightfully considered a very hazardous cargo, there are plenty of
> chemical tankers on the roads every day with loads that are every bit as
> dangerous.  Chlorine is routinely transported in bulk for use at water
> treatment plants and swimming pools.  It was once used as a chemical
> weapon.  Nerve gas at least is designed to degrade quickly when exposed
> to the environment so the attacking troops can move in after it's been
used.
>
> The DOT publishes a list of chemicals identified by a numerical
> designation on the truck or tank car placard.  If you make note of these
> on the road, you will be quite amazed at the number and variety of
> hazardous materials shipments.  The most common of these, of course, is
> gasoline.  Frankly, I don't see any difference in being killed by a
> crash of a truck carrying nerve gas vs. the explosion of a gasoline
tanker.
>
> Susan Gawarecki
>
> -- 
> .....................................................
> Susan L. Gawarecki, Ph.D., Executive Director
> Oak Ridge Reservation Local Oversight Committee
> 102 Robertsville Road, Suite B, Oak Ridge, TN 37830
> Toll free 888-770-3073 ~ www.local-oversight.org
> .....................................................
>
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important work on military and environmental issues will continue.  
Please consider one of our donation options.  Thank you.
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