Toxic legacy
Will this ever end ? 1000 ton of depleted uranium already and now toxic waste !
The American military has announced an investigation into its disposal of hazardous material in Iraq and declared its intention to prosecute anyone violating environmental standards.
The announcement comes after The Times disclosed that private contractors employed on US military bases had been dumping large quantities of oils, acids, filters and batteries in Iraqi scrapyards.
Three American generals faced a barrage of questions on environmental damage at a press conference called to explain the closure of US bases during the troop withdrawal that started last January and will end in December 2011.
Brigadier-General Kendall Cox, who is responsible for engineering and infrastructure in Iraq, said: “I share your concern with regards to anything that may or may not be left here in Iraq. As you know we have been here for over seven years. In that period we have accumulated several million pounds of hazardous waste.”
Source: http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/world/iraq/article7150105.ece