Meghan Hodges
The US military has a long history of causing pollution and toxic destruction worldwide. With a vast global network of bases, ships, trucks, and planes, the US military emits more carbon dioxide than entire industrialized nations, such as Portugal and Denmark. The US military's contribution to climate change is often overlooked due to inconsistent data disclosure and exemptions from international climate treaties. Its operations have resulted in the contamination of water, soil, and air, causing health issues such as cancer and birth defects among nearby residents. The US military's environmental impact has led to growing concerns and calls for significant changes to mitigate its contribution to global warming.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Military emissions | The US military emits more carbon dioxide than entire countries like Sweden, Morocco, Switzerland, Portugal, and Denmark |
| Fuel consumption | The US military is the largest institutional consumer of hydrocarbons in the world. It bought 269,230 barrels of oil per day in 2017 |
| Environmental damage | The US military has caused environmental damage and health problems in Iraq and Afghanistan due to the incineration of plastics, electronics, and other toxic waste |
| Nuclear testing | The US military conducted nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands and the Navajo Indian reservation, resulting in radiation poisoning, birth defects, and cancers |
| Land pollution | Military bases are among the most polluted places in the world due to toxic chemicals contaminating drinking water, aquifers, and soil |
| Abandoned military sites | Almost 900 of the 1,200 Superfund sites in the US are abandoned military sites, requiring special cleanup grants from the government |
| Climate change impact | The US military has contributed to climate change, and its bases are preparing for impacts like sea-level rise |
| Biodiversity loss | Military operations can lead to habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, and ecosystem disruption |
| Water contamination | Military activities can contaminate water bodies with heavy metals and other pollutants |
| Soil contamination | Live-fire exercises, explosives, and hazardous materials can cause long-term soil degradation and contamination |
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What You'll Learn
US military pollution and toxic destruction in the Marshall Islands
Between 1946 and 1958, the United States conducted 67 nuclear tests on the Marshall Islands, then a part of the United Nations Pacific Trust Territories. The US detonated 67 nuclear bombs on, in, and above the Bikini and Enewetak Atolls, including the world's first hydrogen bombs. The tests most gravely affected four atolls in the north of the Marshall Islands: Bikini, Enewetak, Rongelap, and Utirik. The US military also conducted biochemical and missile testing in the region.
The US government's nuclear testing program had a devastating impact on the environment and the health of the Marshallese people. The 1954 Castle Bravo test, for example, generated heavy radioactive fallout across a 50,000-square-mile area, including 22 populated atolls. The fallout from this test looked like snow when it reached Rongelap, and children played with the irradiated flakes. The test contaminated both Rongelap and Utirik atolls, and the immediate health effects were serious and long-lasting, with Rongelap becoming uninhabitable. The radioactive fallout from Castle Bravo also spread beyond the Marshall Islands, affecting Japanese fishermen and causing a sense of panic about potentially radioactive tuna.
The US military's nuclear testing program in the Marshall Islands has had long-term consequences. Cancer rates have doubled in some places, and radiation continues to plague the land and waters. The presence of dangerous nuclear isotopes, such as strontium 90, which can cause leukemia and bone and bone marrow cancer, has been detected in the Marshall Islands. The US government's published data do not acknowledge the presence of this dangerous nuclear isotope, and the lack of full funding from the US to implement remediation and restoration measures has hindered progress in addressing the issue.
The US military's response to the health impacts on veterans involved in the cleanup efforts has also been inadequate. About 4,000 US troops were sent to Enewetak Atoll between 1977 and 1979 to clean up the contaminated remnants of the nuclear testing program. Many of these veterans are now suffering from illnesses, with an unofficial social media survey finding that 20% reported cancers of some type. The US military denies any connection between the veterans' illnesses and their exposure to radiation during the cleanup, and Congress has not provided medical benefits to these veterans.
The Marshall Islands have raised concerns about the environmental and health impacts of US military activities in forums such as the United Nations Human Rights Council. However, the islands' dependence on the US for economic, health, and educational support has compromised their ability to effectively govern and advocate for remediation and justice.
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US military's carbon bootprint
The US military has an enormous carbon footprint, and its activities have resulted in significant environmental damage and health problems worldwide. The US military's carbon emissions are greater than those of entire countries, such as Sweden, Morocco, and Switzerland, Portugal, and Denmark. In 2017, the US military purchased approximately 269,230 barrels of oil per day, emitting over 25,000 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide. This fuel consumption has increased over the years, and the military's reliance on fossil fuels for its global operations contributes significantly to its carbon bootprint.
The US military's extensive global network of transportation and infrastructure is a major contributor to its carbon emissions. The movement of supplies, from bombs to humanitarian aid and fuel, requires container ships, trucks, and cargo planes, all of which burn large amounts of fuel and release greenhouse gases. The US military's real estate also contributes to its carbon bootprint. The Defense Department has numerous facilities spread across 27 million acres in 160 countries, all of which require energy for heating and power.
Military operations themselves have a significant environmental impact. Training exercises, weapons testing, and combat operations can result in land degradation, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Live-fire exercises and the use of explosives can cause physical destruction and long-term soil degradation, while the release of hazardous substances can contaminate soil, water, and air, leading to detrimental health effects for nearby human populations. Military bases are often located in ecologically sensitive areas, further exacerbating the environmental impact.
The US military has recognized the potential consequences of climate change, referring to it as a "threat multiplier." However, despite some efforts to "green" its operations, the military remains the largest institutional consumer of hydrocarbons globally and is locked into hydrocarbon-based weapons systems. To effectively address climate change, significant reductions in the Pentagon's budget and a decrease in its capacity to wage war are necessary.
In conclusion, the US military's carbon bootprint is vast and contributes significantly to global climate change. Its reliance on fossil fuels, extensive infrastructure, and environmentally destructive operations have resulted in a carbon footprint comparable to that of medium-sized countries. Addressing the US military's carbon emissions is crucial for mitigating climate change and protecting the health and well-being of communities affected by military activities.
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US military's contribution to climate change
The US military is one of the largest polluters in history, with an enormous carbon footprint. It is the world's single largest institutional consumer of hydrocarbons and accounts for at least three-quarters of global military presence. The US military emitted more than 25,000 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide in 2017, with the Air Force, Navy, Army, and Marines buying nearly 269,230 barrels of oil per day. This amounts to 100 million barrels in a year, which is more than the emissions of Sweden, Morocco, and Switzerland.
The US military's contribution to climate change is not limited to greenhouse gas emissions. Military operations have led to land degradation, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, and water contamination. Bases and training grounds encroach on ecologically sensitive areas, impacting flora and fauna. Noise pollution from aircraft and vehicles affects wildlife behaviour and migration, and explosives cause physical destruction and long-term soil degradation.
The US military has also been responsible for toxic waste and chemical pollution, with hazardous substances permeating soil and water systems and causing detrimental health effects for nearby human populations. For example, in Minden, LA, the military was found to be burning explosives and munition waste several times a day without any environmental emission control measures, leading to complaints from residents. Similarly, in 2019, it was discovered that an Air Force contractor had been dumping Trichloroethylene (TCE), an industrial solvent, into the ground surrounding Tucson International Airport for 29 years. Over 1,350 residents suffered from cancer and other illnesses as a result.
The US military's nuclear weapons tests in the Marshall Islands and the Navajo Indian reservation have had devastating consequences, including radiation poisoning, birth defects, and cancer. The Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington state also released radioactive toxic gases and fluids, affecting the fish that provided food and economic subsistence to the residents.
The US military's extensive global network of container ships, trucks, and cargo planes, as well as its ownership of a large amount of property, contribute further to its carbon bootprint. While there have been attempts to "green" aspects of its operations, the American military's climate policy remains contradictory, with investments in alternative energy sources comprising only a tiny fraction of spending on fuels.
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US military's use of toxic chemicals
The US military is the world's biggest consumer of Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AFFF), a synthetic carbon-fluorine compound now classified as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), also known as "forever chemicals". PFAS compounds are virtually indestructible and have been linked to a host of cancers, developmental disorders, immune dysfunction, and infertility. They have also been linked to aggravated Covid-19 infections and weakened vaccine efficacy.
In its initial survey of military bases in December 2016, the Armed Forces identified 393 sites of AFFF contamination in the United States, including 126 sites where PFAS compounds infiltrated public drinking water. The Environmental Working Group’s map of PFAS contamination puts the current number of polluted military sites at 704, a number that continues to rise. The US military has also been accused of secretly incinerating over 20 million pounds of AFFF and AFFF waste between 2016 and 2020, often next to disadvantaged communities.
The US military has a long history of polluting the land and water surrounding its bases with toxic chemicals. Many of these bases have been designated Superfund sites by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), meaning they are among the most hazardous areas in the country that require immediate and intense cleanup. There are over 600 military Superfund sites, and almost 900 of the 1,200 Superfund sites in the US are abandoned military sites. These sites are contaminated with toxic substances such as chlorinated solvents, industrial chemicals, petroleum hydrocarbons, and metals, which have been found in the soil at levels exceeding the EPA's health guidelines.
The US military has also been responsible for polluting foreign lands through its military operations and bases overseas. For example, the "war on terror" left a legacy of environmental damage and major health problems in Iraq and Afghanistan, where the US military routinely incinerated plastics, electronics, and other toxic waste in giant burn pits. The widespread use of PFAS on foreign bases, such as those in Okinawa, Japan, has also poisoned the waters, causing birth defects and cancer.
In addition to the use of toxic chemicals, the US military is also a major contributor to climate change through its fuel consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. The US military is one of the world's biggest consumers of fuel, and its emissions are higher than those of entire countries.
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US military's nuclear testing
The US military's nuclear testing program began with the Trinity Test on July 16, 1945, in New Mexico. This test confirmed the functionality of the implosion design weapon used in the Fat Man atomic bomb and gave an insight into the effects of a nuclear detonation. Between 1946 and 1958, the US tested 67 nuclear weapons in the Marshall Islands (then known as the Pacific Proving Grounds), with the fallout causing radiation poisoning, birth defects, and cancers in residents. The US also conducted tests at the Nevada Test Site and, in 1952, tested the first thermonuclear weapon, codenamed Ivy Mike, in the Marshall Islands.
From 1944 to 1977, Hanford Nuclear Reservation in Washington released radioactive toxic gases and fluids, impacting the local food supply. During the 1950s, the US tested new hydrogen and fission bomb designs, including tests in the Pacific Ocean, Johnston Island, and Christmas Island in the East Indian Ocean. After resuming nuclear testing in 1961, the US conducted 100 tests in 14 months, including underground, underwater, and aboveground detonations. These tests contributed to the growing scientific database and improved computer modelling of nuclear explosions.
Weapons effects tests are designed to understand the impact of nuclear explosions on structures, equipment, organisms, and the environment, aiding in developing tactics for nuclear warfare. Safety experiments aim to verify that accidental nuclear detonations cannot occur, while nuclear test detection experiments improve the capability to detect, locate, and identify nuclear explosions. Atmospheric testing, now banned by the Limited Test Ban Treaty, involves explosions in the atmosphere, often creating large amounts of nuclear fallout and radioactive contamination.
The US military's nuclear testing has had devastating consequences, including long-term health issues and environmental degradation in the Marshall Islands and Navajo Indian reservation. The US military's overall carbon footprint is enormous, and it is one of the largest consumers of liquid fuels and emitters of greenhouse gases. The military has begun investing in renewable energy sources and increasing renewable electricity generation on bases, but its dependence on hydrocarbon-based weapons systems continues to contribute significantly to climate change.
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Frequently asked questions
The US military is one of the largest polluters in history, consuming more liquid fuels and emitting more climate-changing gases than most medium-sized countries. The US military emitted more than 25,000 kilotonnes of carbon dioxide in 2017 and purchased 269,230 barrels of oil per day. The US military is also the single largest institutional consumer of hydrocarbons in the world.
Military operations can result in land degradation, habitat destruction, biodiversity loss, and pollution. Military technology and weapons often release pollutants and toxic substances that contaminate the air, soil, and water. Live-fire exercises, the use of vehicles, and the handling of hazardous materials contribute to environmental degradation.
The release of hazardous substances and pollutants can pose serious health risks to nearby human populations. For example, in Tucson, over 1,350 residents suffered from cancer and other illnesses due to contaminated groundwater caused by an Air Force contractor dumping toxic chemicals. Similarly, in the Marshall Islands, residents continue to experience radiation poisoning, birth defects, and cancers from US nuclear weapons testing decades ago.
There have been calls for significant reductions in the Pentagon's budget and capacity to wage war to reduce its environmental footprint. While the military has invested in developing alternative energy sources like biofuels, these efforts are minimal compared to its overall fuel consumption. Integrating environmental considerations into military planning and utilizing technological advancements, such as eco-friendly materials and renewable energy sources, are crucial for mitigating ecological damage.
