OVERVIEW OF THE ECOLOGICAL CONSEQUENCES OF NATO BOMBING OF YUGOSLAVIA UNTIL MAY 20, 1999 By Dr. Radoje Lausevic Part III. Which chemicals/substances/radiation have been emitted so far? Destroying of industrial and agricultural facilities and residential areas (for details see Part 2) has caused the release of several highly toxic substances, as well as several hundreds of other chemical compounds with possible harmful effects on the environment and/or human health. The list comprises: A. Oil, and oil products Oil from bombed refineries has seeped into River Danube, causing 13 huge slicks (Sunday Herald, Glasgow, April 26, 1999). B. Vinyl chloride monomer (VCM) - CH2CHCl Bombing of combined petrochemicals and fertilizer factory and oil refinery in the Belgrade suburbs (Pancevo) by NATO forces on April 15, has produced the release of large amounts of toxins into the air and water. Heavy bombing had been repeated on the night of April, 18th about 01:00. Ammonia plant ("Azotara") and Vinyl Chloride Monomer (VCM) plant ("Petrohemija") have been destroyed completely and about 1,200 tons of VCM was released into the air. VCM, also called chloroethylene, is a colorless, flammable, toxic gas belonging to the family of organic halogen compounds, and is used principally in making polyvinyl chloride, an important synthetic resin. Permitted VCM concentration in the working environment is 1ppm. The lowest concentration which could be detected by sense of smell is 260 ppm. Britain's Times newspaper quoted the Serbian Environment Minister saying the amount of carcinogenic matter in the air over Pancevo was 7,200 times above the permitted level (ENS, April 19), while recent data says that seven hours after bombing (May 19, 1999, 8,00 A.M) the Institute of Public Health, Dept. Pancevo, measured VCM's concentration of 10,600 times above technologicaly permitted level, at the point few kilometers faraway from the bombed plant (Glas Javnosti, May 19, 1999, pg. 5). Combustion of VCM produces 27.000 ppm of hydrogen chloride, 58.000 ppm of carbon dioxide, 9.500 ppm of carbon monoxide and chlorine and less than 10 ppm of phosgene. It is very difficult to extinguish fire of VCM because it is insoluble in water and lighter than water. Small fire could be extinguished by use of carbon dioxide. C. Phosgene Phosgene was created by combustion of VCM after bombing of VCM plant in Pancevo on the night of April, 18th. This compound, also called carbonyl chloride, is colorless, chemically reactive, highly toxic gas having an odor like that of musty hay, used in making organic chemicals, dyestuffs, polycarbonate resins, and isocyanates for making polyurethane resins. D. Ethylene dichloride (EDC) - CH2ClCH2Cl EDC was released after bombing of VCM plant in Pancevo on the night of April, 18th. It is estimated that 1,400 tons of EDC have been released directly into Danube watercourse. This compound, also called ethylene chloride, or 1,2-dichloroethane, is a colorless, toxic, volatile liquid belonging to the family of organic halogen compounds and having an odor resembling that of chloroform. E. Chlorine (Cl2) Chlorine was released after bombing of the petrochemical complex in Pancevo on the night of April, 18th. It is a toxic, corrosive, greenish yellow gas that is irritating to the eyes and respiratory system. F. Soot Soot was released in enormous quantities when the oil refineries in Novi Sad and Pancevo and large oil depots (e.g. Smederevo) were burned. One should keep in mind that soot adsorbs extremely dangerous polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. G. Nitrogen oxides Nitrogen oxides (compounds with proved negative impact on ozone layer) are being released from supersonic airplanes, as well as during burning of oil. Since the beginning of NATO aggression against Yugoslavia and air bombing campaign, NATO jets had more than 150,000 flight hours. Furthermore, several oil refineries, large oil and petrol depots are destroyed all around Yugoslavia, which produce large quantities of nitrogen oxides (SES, April 15, 1999). H. Hydrofluoric acid (HF) Hydrofluoric acid emission has happened during the destruction of the production line of the Chemical plant "Prva Iskra" in Baric (19 April 1999). Fortunately, the main quantity of HF was controlled evacuated and eliminated before the attack. HF as a gas is highly toxic and irritating to the mucous membranes and destructive to nails and tooth. I. Heavy metals Heavy metals are also extremely dangerous, such as mercury which in its methylated form (the most toxic) can be transported for thousands of miles. Heavy metals, including cadmium, were released after destruction of several industrial facilities which had used them in normal operation processes. J. Pyralene - polychlorinated biphenols (PCB's) The use of PCB's in transformer stations (cancer inducing substances which were banned in the world decades ago) means that destroying any transformer station, whether it is a part of an energy producing section in some of the already destroyed oil refineries, a transformer station in any industrial plant, or in the transmitting tower at Mt. Avala, will cause a spill of these substances, and it is a known fact that one liter of Pyralene (PCB) pollutes one billion liters of water. One should also bear in mind that even in those facilities where Pyralene was replaced by permitted liquids, the PCB was, in most cases, not destroyed (neutralized) but only stored somewhere in the factory yard, where the barrels are again exposed to potential destruction (P. Polic, 1999). K. Initial fuel of cruise missiles All cruise missiles (Tomahawks) are filled with powerful fuels. However, the combustion products of initial fuels in the missiles are much more damaging and more cancerous than the products of lead fuel combustion which the Europeans banished from their streets by bringing into use, the so called, "green" non-leaded fuel. The population of Europe should know that the initial powder fuel of the missiles is comprised of highly toxic substances whose combustion products are toxic and cancerous. They are as following: ammonium-perchlorat, nitroglycerine, nitro-cellulose, organic compounds as unifying elements (polybutadien, polyurethane, polyvinyl-chloride, polystyrene, polyacrylate, etc) organic leaden salts - lead-salycilate, lead-ethylhexoat, lead-stearate, metal nitrate (alkali and soil-alkali), metal perchlorate, fluor compounds especially fluorformals as energy components etc. As a consequence of combustion of these substances, highly damaging acid nitrogen oxides and hydrochloride acids, which destroy the forests and vegetation, are released. The ammoniac, highly poisonous hydrocyanic acid, hydrocyanic acid compounds, nitrogen oxides and fluorides (the compounds which are an essential component of very poisonous pesticide) and cancerous compounds as a consequence of fuel stabilizers combustion, which consist of ring-structured compounds medically proved to be cancerous, together with lead compounds and fluor compounds (as a consequences of combustion of fluor nitroformulas) release radicals with fluor which get attached to everything in nature causing very painful and almost incurable wounds and burns on humans and animals (Branka Jovanovic, 1999). L. Radioactivity (DU) NATO was not only using banned cluster bombs, but also depleted uranium bullets. NATO bombing squadrons sent against targets in the Federal Republic of Yugoslavia include also A-10 planes, the payloads of which contain the ammunition made of depleted uranium. These bullets caused an immediate increase in leukemia, cancers, and birth defects in the Gulf War, as well as the so-called Gulf War sickness, whose symptoms are identical with radiation sickness. Depleted uranium (DU) is used primarily because it is effective against tanks. When DU bombs detonate, uranium oxide is formed in particulate of between 0.5 and 5 microns. These can be windborn several hundred miles or suspended electrostatically in the atmosphere. The half life of Uranium is 109 (ten to the ninth) years, so they do not decay. One "hot particle" of this DU material in the lungs is equivalent to a chest X-ray per hour for life. It is impossible to remove, so the donated lung gradually irradiates the victim until death ensues. The US military are well aware of this and are on record as confirming 2.5mGy/hr at the surface of a DU shell, a dose equivalent to a chest X-ray per hour. Each A-10 Thunderbolt 30mm cannon anti tank shell contains some 275g (10.1 Bq). A single 120mm Abrams tank DU shell contains 3kg of U-238 (111 MBq) of activity (CRL, 1999). The International Action Center, a group that opposes the use of depleted-uranium weapons, called the Pentagon's decision to use the A-10 "Warthog" jets against targets in Kosovo "a danger to the people and environment of the entire Balkans." John Catalinotto, a spokesperson from the Depleted Uranium Education Project of the International Action Center and an editor of the 1997 book Metal of Dishonor: Depleted Uranium, said the use of DU weapons in Yugoslavia "adds a new dimension to the crime NATO is perpetrating against the Yugoslav people--including those in Kosovo." (IAC, April 1, 1999).