Experts: Uranium weapons risk small

KFOR troops in protective clothing tested for plutonium in DU weapons in Kosovo

LONDON, England -- Only a small number of soldiers -- mainly Americans -- might suffer kidney damage after exposure to depleted uranium (DU) weapons, according to a report by British scientists.

Most at risk are those involved in friendly fire incidents or involved in clean-up activities, according to the study published by The Royal Society, Britain's academy of scientists, on Tuesday.

A spokesman for the National Gulf Veterans and Families' Association dismissed the report's findings, saying there was anecdotal evidence that large numbers of soldiers had been harmed.

U.S. aircraft used munitions containing depleted uranium, a slightly radioactive heavy metal, during the 78-day air campaign against Yugoslavia in 1999, as well as in Bosnia in 1994 and 1995.

CNN.com Europe More news from our Europe edition

The dense uranium shells, which can pierce tank armour, were also used during the 1991 Gulf War.

NATO denies the ammunition could have triggered cancer in soldiers and many European Union and other experts have concluded over the last year that the risk was negligible.

Professor Brian Spratt, Chairman of The Royal Society, said: "Most soldiers and civilians will not be exposed to dangerous levels of depleted uranium.

"However, in certain circumstances the exposures may be high and there would be a risk of heavy metal poisoning that could lead to long-term kidney damage for a few soldiers," Spratt told the UK Press Association.

Last year a report from The Royal Society concluded that those same few soldiers could be at increased risk of lung cancer from intense exposure to the munitions, but that such cancers would take decades to show up.

Tony Flint, of the National Gulf Veterans and Families' Association, dismissed the report as "nonsense" and pointed out that at a veterans' meeting two years ago it emerged that six of 300 ex-soldiers attending suffered from nephritis -- inflammation of the kidneys.

Statistically, only one in the 50,000 service personnel who took part in the Gulf conflict should have acquired the condition.

"It's nonsense to say depleted uranium has only harmed a small number of people who had high exposure," said Flint.

"We had five people tested and in every case they came out positive. Their bodies contained between 25 and 75 times the normal level of DU.

"I think everyone who took part in the Gulf War should be investigated, including those who never went to the front line but had to clean out the vehicles which returned," he said.

On Tuesday, the UK Ministry of Defence's minister for veterans, Dr Lewis Moonie, told BBC radio he was well aware of the research, and said a programme to develop a test for depleted uranium had already been set up and would be available to everyone who came forward for testing.

"No British serviceman or woman to my knowledge or to anybody else in the MoD has suffered exposure to a level of depleted uranium likely to have caused kidney damage.

"And I think it is very important if anybody does think that they have done for them to come forward for testing," he said.