Former military sites can pose significant health risks to nearby residents due to toxic contaminants left behind from past operations.
These sites often contain hazardous substances like PFAS (“forever chemicals”), benzene, and lead, which can contaminate groundwater and soil, potentially leading to serious health issues such as cancer and organ damage.
While cleanup efforts are underway, they are often slow, and the persistence of these contaminants means risks may linger for decades. In the article below, we explore the reasons behind these health concerns, supported by real-world examples and data.
Key Points
- Toxic Contamination: Research suggests former military sites are often contaminated with hazardous substances like PFAS, benzene, and TCE, which can persist in the environment.
- Health Risks: Evidence leans toward links between these contaminants and serious health issues, including cancer, liver damage, and developmental problems, though exact risks vary by site and exposure.
- Widespread Issue: Hundreds of military sites across the U.S. and globally are affected, with over 600 designated as EPA Superfund sites.
- Cleanup Challenges: Cleanup is costly and slow, with the Department of Defense estimating billions more needed, potentially leaving communities exposed for generations.
- Controversy: Some reports indicate military authorities may have downplayed risks, raising concerns about transparency and accountability.
Why Contamination Occurs
Military operations often involve the use of hazardous materials, such as firefighting foam containing PFAS, jet fuels, solvents, and pesticides.
When bases are decommissioned, improper disposal or incomplete cleanup can leave these substances in the soil and groundwater.
PFAS, in particular, are a major concern because they do not break down easily and can accumulate in the environment and human body over time.
Due to the toxic persistence of firefighting foams, communities are beginning to seek justice through the AFFF Lawsuit, which targets manufacturers and military use of PFAS-based products.
Health Impacts on Local Communities
Exposure to contaminants from former military sites can occur through drinking water, inhalation, or skin contact. These substances are linked to a range of health issues, including:
- Cancer: Studies suggest a connection between PFAS and cancers like multiple myeloma, with veterans at Fort Ord showing a 35% higher rate than the general population.
- Organ Damage: PFAS and other chemicals like benzene are associated with liver and kidney damage.
- Developmental Issues: Children exposed to PFAS, as seen at Pease Air Force Base, may face developmental and immune system problems.
Ongoing Challenges
Cleanup efforts are complex and costly, with the Department of Defense having spent $11.5 billion and estimating $3.4 billion more needed. The persistence of contaminants like PFAS means that even closed sites remain a threat.
Health Risks from Former Military Sites
Former military sites across the United States and beyond pose significant health risks to local residents due to the lingering presence of toxic contaminants from past military operations.
These sites, often used for training, weapons testing, or storage, can leave behind hazardous substances that contaminate soil, groundwater, and drinking water supplies.
The primary contaminants include per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), known as “forever chemicals” due to their persistence in the environment, as well as other dangerous substances like benzene, trichloroethylene (TCE), lead, and radioactive wastes.
This report explores the reasons behind these health risks, their impact on communities, and the challenges in addressing them, supported by data, examples, and legal considerations.
Sources of Contamination
Military bases frequently use hazardous materials during operations, including:
PFAS in Firefighting Foam
PFAS, used in aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) for firefighting training, are highly persistent and mobile in the environment.
A CBS News report found PFAS contamination at 385 military installations, with levels as high as 213,000 ppt at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Oscoda, Michigan, and 1.3 million ppt at Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in New York.
These levels far exceed the EPA’s health advisory limit of 70 ppt for PFOS and PFOA in drinking water.
Industrial Chemicals and Fuels
Over 800 hazardous substances, including benzene, TCE, acetone, and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), have been identified at military sites, according to ELG Law.
These chemicals, often used in maintenance or weapons production, can contaminate soil and water when improperly disposed of.
Radioactive Wastes
Some bases, like George Air Force Base in California, have reported radioactive contamination from past activities, further compounding risks.
Health Impacts on Local Residents
Exposure to these contaminants can occur through drinking contaminated water, inhaling vapors, or skin contact. The health consequences are severe and wide-ranging:
Cancer
The World Health Organization (WHO) and the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) estimate that environmental pollution accounts for 7% to 19% of human cancers.
At Fort Ord, California, a year-long investigation by the Associated Press, detailed in the Global Investigative Journalism Network, found that former residents developed cancer at higher rates, with veterans showing a 35% higher rate of multiple myeloma than the general U.S. population. Chemicals like TCE and PCBs are known carcinogens.
Organ Damage
PFAS exposure is linked to liver and kidney damage, as well as immune system dysfunction. Benzene, found at sites like Wurtsmith, is associated with leukemia and other blood disorders.
Developmental and Reproductive Issues
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Children are particularly vulnerable. At Pease Air Force Base in New Hampshire, PFAS levels in drinking water were 12.5 times above the EPA’s provisional health advisory, raising concerns about developmental effects. Andrea Amico’s 6-year-old daughter, who attended a daycare on the base, had elevated PFAS levels in her blood.
Neurological Effects
Veterans like Rick Thompto, who lived near Wurtsmith, developed brain tumors potentially linked to exposure to benzene and TCE.
Summary
Former military sites pose significant health risks to local residents due to toxic contaminants like PFAS, benzene, and TCE, which can persist in the environment for decades.
These substances are linked to serious health issues, including cancer, organ damage, and developmental problems, as seen in communities near Wurtsmith, George, and Fort Ord.
With over 600 military sites designated as Superfund sites and cleanup efforts lagging, the risks may affect multiple generations. Addressing these challenges requires accelerated cleanup, transparency from military authorities, and support for affected communities through medical care and legal recourse.
Continued advocacy and regulatory action are essential to mitigate the long-term impact of these contaminated sites.
