Tag: Toxic Military Bases

In October 2021, the Department of Defense (DoD) released a report stating that the Pentagon acknowledges the risk associated with “rising temperatures” and how intense weather conditions are reshaping the world. What’s ironic is that the report failed to recognize the contribution of the US defense department to climate change.

Let’s go over some of the worst polluted U.S. military bases on earth, the use of “forever chemicals” leading to things like Camp Lejeune groundwater contamination, and the United States’ negligence for Americans and foreign lives with Ehline Law and our toxic exposure injury attorneys.

The US Is One of the Largest Climate Polluters in History, 2019 Report Reveals

A 2019 report by Durham and Lancaster University reveals that the United States military is one of the largest climate polluters in history, emitting more CO2 than most nations. According to the report, if the US military were a country, it would be the world’s 47th largest greenhouse gas emitter, much larger than Morocco, Peru, Sweden, Hungary, Finland, New Zealand, Norway, and Switzerland.

US Military, World’s Biggest Climate Change Enabler, Has Done Very Little

The US military is a large contributor to the carbon footprint on our planet. Although gathering direct statistics from the military is impossible since they are exempt from reporting military emissions after withdrawing from the 1997 Kyoto protocol, data from local news organizations, non-profit organizations, and lobbyists are available.

US Military Air Pollution

A 2019 research study, “Hidden carbon costs of the “everywhere war,” revealed that the US military purchased $8.683 billion worth of fuel in 2017, across the following:

• US Air Force – $4.9 billion
• US Navy – $2.8 billion
• US Army – $947 million
• US Marines – $36 million

The study further revealed that the US military emitted over 25,000-kilo tonnes of carbon dioxide daily. Minden in Louisiana is one such example where the US military would burn ammunition waste and explosives multiple times a day. After a mishap, the locals became infuriated, causing the military to outsource the disposal of explosives and other wastes to their largest contractor in Colfax.

According to Dr. Patrick Bigger from Lancaster University Environment Centre, the US military has a contradictory climate change policy since they are confronting the consequences of climate change while depending on large aircraft and warships to fuel their operations worldwide.

US Military Water Pollution

The US military operations suggest apparent negligence on their behalf and a total disregard for human life. The US Naval Air Station Oceana in Virginia dumped 84,000 gallons of jet fuel in the waterway in 2017.

In 2019, independent statistics claimed that the US Air Force contractor dumped Trichloroethylene (TCE), a hazardous substance, into the ground near the Tucson International Airport for about 3 decades. Such negligence resulted in 1,350 Tucson residents contracting cancer and other diseases, leading to claims against the US military.

It is not shocking news. The US military has constantly remained negligent in its operations throughout history. Between 1953 and 1986, at the US base Camp Lejeune, military personnel would dump harmful chemicals that contaminated the groundwater, exceeding significantly more than the safety standards and affecting the health of residents and workers over there.

US Land Pollution

There are many incidents of land pollution caused by the US military. However, the most distressing are the two where they conducted nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands and the Navajo Indian reservation.

Between 1946 and 1958, the US military tested 67 nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands, thousand times greater than the Hiroshima bomb. The nuclear testing caused severe radiation contamination in 4 of the Marshall Islands, Enewetak, Bikini, Rongelap, and Utrok, causing the citizens to evacuate.

Seventy-five years later, reports surfaced suggesting life-threatening consequences experienced by the locals in the four northern atolls, such as cancer, birth defects, radioactive poisoning, and other illnesses.

From 1948 to 1967, the US military at the Navajo Indian Reservation conducted nuclear weapons testing and uranium production, causing a spike in cancer rates among the native residents.

Besides nuclear testing, the US military is responsible for other forms of land pollution, including real estate. The military dumps and burns toxic chemicals on their military bases leading to closures of more than 900 US military sites after being declared a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for serious contamination problems.

According to John D. Dingell, a retired Michigan congressman and a war veteran, almost every military site in the country face severe contamination.

American Intervention in Global Wars Has Shattered Economies

The United States policies are detrimental to its service members and international economies when the country decides to intervene during global conflicts.

For example, when the United States troops withdrew from Iraq in 2011, their intervention in Iraq on the pretense that the Iraqis held weapons of mass destruction led to desertification across 90% of the Iraqi territory. The invasion of Iraq caused the country to import 80% of its food supply since the lands became barren after the war.

According to political experts, the United States’ dependence on oil is the reason behind the US military presence in different parts of the world. Most wars resulted from the American corporation’s need to protect their access to oil.

The US intervention has not only resulted in the loss of lives but also has dramatically impacted the environment. The Cost of Wars Project estimates about 400 million metric tonnes of carbon dioxide from war-related activities in Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Syria.

The Use of Chemical Warfare Agents by the US Military in Vietnam

The 2015 World’s worst pollution problems fact sheet report that approximately 7 million people worldwide are suffering from the use of toxic warfare agents by the United States military.

In 1948, the US started experimenting with herbicides after seeing how the United Kingdom used these deadly substances, including Agent Orange, on the communist pro-independence fighters in British Malaya. After mixing two herbicides, the US made a highly toxic substance that would contaminate Vietnam’s food, forests, water, and air in 1965.

After the end of the Vietnam War, the Vietnamese government studied the damage caused by Agent Orange and other deadly herbicides used in Vietnam. The report revealed approximately 3 million casualties, including civilians and armed forces. Today, millions of Americans and Vietnamese people are still suffering from the use of toxic herbicides during the Vietnam War.

Although the US military claims to bring a positive change in their policies, very little is being done, raising questions on whether they’re committed to solving this pollution problem. Even the US Navy task force, the military set up to prepare military sites for climate change, got shut down quietly.

Top 10 US Military Bases with Worse PFAS Contamination

PFAS or Perfluoroalkyl and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances are manufactured chemicals used in everyday products. In the military, firefighting foam is the main product that contains PFAS chemicals.

PFAS are also known as “forever chemicals” as they do not break down in the environment. The Environmental Working Group endorses many independent studies that recommend 1 part per trillion (ppt) PFAS as a safe limit for drinking water.

In the United States, virtually everyone has PFAS in their body through consuming contaminated drinking water or food. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), PFAS-contaminated drinking water can cause cancer, liver failure, kidney cancer, heart conditions, and other health problems.

According to the Environmental Working Group, the top 10 US military sites with the highest detections of PFAS pollution are:

• England Air Force Base: 20,700,000 ppt
• Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake: 8,000,000 ppt
• Patrick Air Force Base: 2,640,000 ppt
• Myrtle Beach Air Force Base: 2,225,000 ppt
• Langley AirForce Base: 1,397,120 ppt
• Naval Air Station Jacksonville: 1,310,000 ppt
• Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station: 1,247,000 ppt
• Grand Prairie Armed Forces Reserve Complex: 1,150,000 ppt
• Altus AirForce Base: 1,150,000 ppt
• Charleston AirForce Base: 1,100,000 ppt.

The top 100 US military sites have more PFAS contamination than the recommended safe limit. These sites have become a source of groundwater contamination and air pollution for the local communities.

Roy Heald, general manager of Security’s water district, believes that many counties are not standing up for their rights to safe drinking water and clean air because the US military installations employ tens of thousands of residents.

Could Reforms Help the US Play a Positive Role in Climate Change?

Wars have benefited large corporations in billions of dollars of profit, but it comes at the expense of the environment, a silent casualty of armed conflict.

To play a positive role in climate change, the US could introduce the following reforms:

• Lowering the budget: One of the major solutions to climate change is finishing off armed conflicts or completely removing military existence worldwide. However, that is not possible, especially after the White House announced an increase in the US military spending budget. The international community playing its part in climate change must pressure the US to curb its military spending.
• Accountability: From the use of Agent Orange on the Vietnamese people in the Vietnam War to the recent bombings in Afghanistan, Human rights violation by the US remains unchecked. Taking responsibility for their actions is the first step in playing a positive role in climate change.
• Redirect funding: Rather than purchasing fuel to participate in wars, the US would be better off if they redirected this funding towards the UN sustainability goals, such as cleaner energy production.
• Regulation: PFAS remains unregulated to this day. A bill to restrict the use of firefighting foam is still under consideration in Colorado. As many people are becoming aware of the health risks associated with these “forever chemicals,” more activists are pushing for regulations or a downright ban on PFAS chemicals. However, these actions should not affect life-saving products that use PFAS compounds.

Suffering from Toxic Exposure Illness? Schedule Free Consultation with Ehline Law

Under the PACT Act, Ehline Law and our toxic exposure attorneys are helping veterans receive justice and compensation for their injuries from exposure to PFAS chemicals and other deadly substances during their service.

If you’re suffering from service-related illnesses or have lost a loved one to toxic chemical exposure, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation with our legal experts on your case.

The United States and the United Kingdom created herbicidal weapons for use in World War II. However, it wasn’t until the Vietnam War the US started using them. Dioxin-contaminated Agent Orange became notorious for being one of the deadliest chemicals used in Operation Ranch Hand during the Vietnam War.

The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) even recognized the damage done to their veterans. However, Agent Orange wasn’t the only deadly chemical used in Vietnam. Let’s review some other herbicides sprayed in Vietnam with Ehline Law and our personal injury lawyers.

Rainbow Herbicides in Operation Ranch Hand Rained down on Vietnam

Most of us are aware of the US military spraying Agent Orange but have no idea that they also used other chemicals during the Vietnam war to destroy the forests enemy troops would hide in and the crops they would feed on.

The arsenal of chemicals used in Vietnam was commonly referred to as “Rainbow Herbicides” because of the regulatory requirements of identifying the barrels of herbicides through different color-coded bands. Manufacturers used colors to identify the herbicides from one another upon shipment, and the United States government selected the colors.

The US Department of Defense required chemical companies to produce herbicides for “combat operations,” which meant that they were far more toxic than the commercial grades. Chemicals used besides Agent Orange are as deadly, if not more than its famous counterpart.

The following are the different herbicides used in the Vietnam war.

Agent White

Agent Orange was the most widely used herbicide sprayed across South Vietnam, followed by Agent White. A proprietary product of the Dow Chemical Company, Agent White surprisingly did not contain any Dioxin, a lethal chemical produced as a by-product of industrial processes. It had four parts of 2,4-Dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) mixed with one part of Picloram, both systematic herbicides that kill most broadleaf weeds by spurring uncontrollable growth.

During the war, when Agent Orange was not readily available, the US troops would use Agent White instead. What’s surprising is that the world was so focused on the known devastation of Agent Orange that they didn’t care when the US military used Agent White for several months after halting the use of Agent Orange in 1970.

Agent White is commercially sold under the name “Tordon 101”.

Agent Blue

Agent Blue contained dimethylarsinic acid, its related salt, and sodium cacodylate mixed with water, which makes it unrelated to the other herbicides used in Vietnam.

Rice was a primary food source for the North Vietnamese army, and the Viet Cong troops and the US attacked rice paddies using thermite metal grenades and other explosives to eliminate their food supply. However, they found that rice was the most maddeningly challenging substance to destroy.

The US developed Agent Blue to eradicate rice paddies. Blue would dry out rice grains, which would devastate the crop as the rice needs water to live on. Using Agent Blue helped the US military destroy acres of rice fields, making them unsuitable for further planting. The military also used Blue to burn foliage in which the enemy troops would seek refuge before ambushing South Vietnam and US military forces.

Records suggest the US military sprayed approximately 4 million gallons of Agent Blue in Vietnam. Today, decades after the war’s end, Blue is one of the most profitable and common herbicides still used as weed killers.

Agent Purple

Agent Purple was similar to Agent Orange chemically. It consisted of equal parts of 2,4-D and 2,4,5-Trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T) but what was different between the two was the mixture of 2,4,5-T. The US used n-butyl ester in Agent Orange, while in Agent Purple, it was in the form of n-butyl (60%) and isobutyl ester (40%).

While Agent Orange contained 13 parts per million (ppm) of tetrachlorodibenzodioxin, a colorless odorless chemical known as Dioxin, Agent Purple contained a staggering 32.8 ppm.

An estimated 500,000 gallons of the Agent were sprayed during the Vietnam war. At the Eglin Air Force Base in the western Florida Panhandle, a sample of Agent Purple had higher Dioxin concentrations at 45 ppm.

The US initially used Purple in the earlier stages of the war and for testing purposes. Between 1966 and 1967, Canada used Agent Purple in CFB Gagetown to clear roadside brush.

Agent Pink

Dioxin was present in most herbicides but in greater concentrations in earlier Agents, including Pink.

On average, Agent Pink contained 65.5 ppm of Dioxin, much higher than all the other herbicides used. The military documented about 13,291 gallons of the toxic chemical but procurement records suggest an additional 109,328 gallons. Although Pink was one of the least used herbicides during the war, it did leave behind a large percentage of the total Dioxin.

Agent Green

Just like Agent Pink, Green also had one active ingredient, 2,4,5-T. Since it had only one active chemical, the herbicide created had higher levels of Dioxin than those found in Agent Orange.

By mixing Agent Green with Pink, the US military intensified the herbicide effects, allowing them to use it to destroy crops. Records suggest that the United States military sprayed about 20,000 gallons.

Devastation Left Behind by Rainbow Herbicides in the Chemical Warfare

After the war ended in 1975 and veterans returned home, they started to report deteriorating health. In 1980, the first-ever Agent Orange class action lawsuit was filed by Attorney Hy Mayerson, the pioneer in Agent Orange litigation.

Initially, the chemical manufacturers denied any link between the herbicides used in Vietnam and health conditions. However, as toxicology evidence started to mount, they agreed to pay $180 million in compensation in 1984.

Outraged by the settlement, the veterans felt betrayed by the lawyers representing them. By 1989, it was clear that the compensation was not enough, and a completely disabled Vietnam veteran would receive only $12,000 spread across ten years. To add more salt to the wounds, the veterans receiving compensation were not eligible for VA benefits far greater than their payout.

In 1991, the US Congress passed the Agent Orange Act, allowing VA to declare certain health conditions as presumptive to Agent Orange exposure, making Vietnam veterans eligible for medical treatment and disability compensation.

Not only did the use of herbicides affect the United States veterans, but its effects ravaged Vietnam. Dioxin quickly accumulated in the country’s food chain and became a deadly poison for citizens.

Governmental studies after the war reported 3 million Vietnamese exposed to Agent Orange suffering from illnesses associated with Agent Orange, while the Red Cross estimated a further 1 million Vietnamese facing disabilities, birth defects, and severe health effects. Studies in the 1970s suggested high levels of Dioxin in South Vietnamese women’s breast milk and the blood of US military personnel.

In 2002, the US and Vietnam held a joint conference to discuss the human health and environmental effects of Agent Orange. After a few hiccups in the negotiations, in 2005, the first US-Vietnam remediation of Dioxin took place.

In 2007. President Bush allocated $3 million for the clean-up of the base, which was later increased to $12 million after many critics stated that the funding would not help in clearing up the devastation left behind.

In 2004, a Vietnam rights group filed a class action lawsuit on behalf of Vietnamese citizens suffering from exposure to Agent Orange. However, the District Court judge dismissed the case in 2005, stating that international law did not consider Agent Orange poisonous.

Ehline Law and our toxic exposure attorneys are helping veterans recover the benefits they deserve under the newly enacted PACT Act. If you’re a vet suffering from health conditions arising from your service in Vietnam, contact us at (833) LETS-SUE for a free consultation with our legal experts.

America has a long history of using toxic chemicals, especially for military purposes. In this case, we will discuss a specific combination called Agent Orange that was used between the 60s and 70s, which caused hundreds of veterans to die after exposure on this conditions list. This mixture of chemicals contained Dioxin, which was meant to be sprayed over the jungle canopy in Vietnam to kill the cover and Vietnamese troops.

In the following article, you will learn more about the terrible consequences of Agent Orange and how it affected our veterans during the Vietnam war.

Consequences of Agent Orange Exposure

The consequences of exposure to Agent Orange quickly appeared in our Vietnam veterans and others who were close enough to the chemical. Some of these people were lucky enough to pass away rather quickly, but others developed terrible health consequences, such as cancer, tumors, rashes, nervous system damage, etc. The children born during these times also developed severe congenital disabilities that caused them to need immediate health care attention after birth.

What Happened to the Vietnam Veterans?

One of the most notable Vietnam veterans who fought to obtain VA disability benefits based on the injuries they sustained was Sergeant Charles Hartz. He was a member of the 1st Battalion of the 327th Infantry Regiment who developed stage four brain cancer while in combat. Still, he managed to tell his story and videotape it, as he knew he wouldn’t be alive when the trial occurred due to his advanced and deadly brain cancer.

Although this was the first recorded case, the investigation for a totally disabled Vietnam veteran who wanted to fight for Veterans Affairs disability benefits kept going until many Vietnam veterans exposed to Agent Orange decided to speak up and fight to create the Agent Orange settlement fund for their military service to get the compensation their families deserved, even if they wouldn’t be around to enjoy it.

Receiving Compensation

This class action lawsuit took five years of litigation. Finally, the chemical companies responsible for Agent Orange paid VA benefits to all veterans of the Vietnam era who developed Agent Orange-related illnesses. The final amount was increased to $240 million, which was meant to be enough to compensate veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom for their veteran service.

After suffering from all the terrible service connection consequences, it was awful for the veterans to see how the VA brushed off their symptoms, no matter how much medical evidence they provided. However, it was a long fight, and some people, such as Ronald Codario, M.D., spoke for the victim’s right to be appropriately treated and compensated for their injuries.

Finally, the fight against the Veterans Administration was a success. President George Bush signed legislation in 1991 that awarded veterans disability compensation benefits to treat the illnesses caused by Agent Orange exposure. Because of this, he received a personal congratulations letter and is now recognized on the Veteran’s Wall of America.

Effects of Toxic Exposure

Agent Orange isn’t the only cause of toxic exposure, but it was one terrible chapter of our country. Still, it would be a good idea to know more about the effects caused by toxic exposure so that you know what to do in these cases. Some of the most common are the following.

• Burnin in your eyes, chest, nose, and skin
• Headaches
• Excessive sweating
• Stomach aches
• Blurred vision
• Diarrhea

In most cases, people start feeling nervous and anxious once they detect one of these symptoms, but they shouldn’t have anything to worry about as long as the exposure isn’t prolonged. However, if they were exposed to the toxic chemical for too long, such as veterans were exposed to agent orange, they may get many long-lasting and severe effects, such as the following.

• Difficulty breathing
• Wheezing
• Coughing
• Weakness
• Faint feeling
• Convulsion
• Collapse
• Death.

What to Do When Exposed to Harmful Chemicals

If you’re in an area recently exposed to harmful chemicals, you must leave immediately. In most cases, it may be scary to see the people around you getting sick, but remember that the most important thing is ensuring your survival. Therefore, you must remain calm and move quickly to fresh air. Please don’t return to the contaminated area until experts have properly cleared it up.

On the other hand, if you’re at home and aware of a harmful chemical in your neighborhood, you must stay aware of any emergency alert that may come up with instructions on how to proceed. These instructions will probably tell you to stay home or go somewhere safe, depending on the type of chemical.

Once you get medical attention, your doctors will perform a complete evaluation to make sure your entire body is in the best possible conditions and test the poisoning effects in your blood and nervous system. In most cases, they will administer an antidote, but if the consequences are too severe, you may need to be hospitalized for a few days so that your doctor can properly treat your injuries.

Contact Ehline Law

Agent Orange contamination was a terrible chapter in America’s history, but luckily, most veterans got the compensation they deserved. If you’re going through something similar, don’t hesitate to call (833)-LETS-SUE and get a free consultation from one of Ehline Law’s fantastic lawyers, with whom you are sure to create an excellent attorney-client relationship.

Please don’t be scared of receiving the justice you deserve, and give us a call today!