Depleted uranium (DU) is the radioactive and chemically toxic waste product of the uranium enrichment process in both nuclear energy and nuclear weapons production. DU has about 60% of the radioactivity of natural uranium. DU is used by the U.S. and other militaries in both defensive armor and armor piercing ammunition that is known as DU penetrators. These weapons have a solid rod of DU that increases their ability to penetrate heavily armored vehicles because DU sharpens upon impact and self-ignites.
Most armed forces will not be protected from exposure to DU since few militaries acknowledge that DU exposure is or may be harmful. Although there is solid evidence that DU weapons contaminate soil and air upon impact, it is unlikely that contaminated soil will be removed or cleaned after war by those who used the weapons or by the country under siege because other post-war crises, such as rebuilding infrastructure, will claim the scarce resources. Civilian populations in DU contaminated sites can be exposed to hot spots of DU soil contamination and of groundwater contamination, since systematic surveillance of soil and groundwater in areas of conflict where DU weapons have been employed has not been the norm.
DU weapons were used extensively in the first Gulf War (1991) and the wars in Bosnia (1994-1995) and Kosovo (1999). They have also been used in the war in Iraq (2003- ) and possibly in the war in Afghanistan (2002- ).