How can DU damage the environment?
When DU munitions hit an armoured vehicle they form an aerosol containing fine DU particles that may be inhaled. Most of the contamination stays inside the vehicle that has been struck. However, some of the dust will be dispersed into the environment and spread by wind or deposited on the ground by rain. The bulk of the DU dust remains within about a few hundred metres of the hit target. Over time, fine DU dust particles deposited on the ground will be absorbed into the soil, while bigger DU fragments remain intact on the ground and start to corrode. Environmental conditions play a large part in the subsequent transport of DU dusts. Arid climates such as those in Iraq will allow a high re-suspension rate, whereas areas with higher rainfall such as the Balkans will see much of the dust become trapped in soils. When fired from aircraft, no more than 10% of the penetrators hit their intended target. Tanks fire fewer shells with a higher degree of accuracy. DU penetrators that do not hit a
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