Camp Lejeune's Water Pollution: A Toxic Legacy

Between 1953 and 1987, the water supply at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina was contaminated with toxic chemicals. This contamination has been described as the worst water contamination event in US history, with thousands of military veterans and their families suffering from illness, health problems, and even death. The main chemicals involved were volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), which were found in the water at concentrations from 240 to 3,400 times higher than safe levels. The contamination has been linked to various health issues, including cancer, ALS, fatty liver disease, infertility, and Parkinson's Disease.

Contaminants included PCE, TCE, and VOCs

From 1953 to 1987, the water supply systems at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were contaminated with harmful chemicals. The contamination was caused by multiple sources, including industrial area spills, waste disposal sites, and leaking underground storage tanks. One significant source was a nearby dry-cleaning business that dumped wastewater filled with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and other contaminants into the drains.

The main chemicals involved in the Camp Lejeune water contamination were VOCs such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE). PCE is a dry-cleaning solvent and a suspected carcinogen, while TCE is a degreaser. These chemicals were present in the water at concentrations from 240 to 3,400 times the levels permitted by safety standards. Other toxic substances found in the water included benzene and vinyl chloride.

The contamination affected two of the eight water wells on the base, supplied by the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point water-treatment plants. These plants provided water to enlisted-family housing, barracks, base administrative offices, schools, and recreational areas. The Hadnot Point water system also served the base hospital and an industrial area.

The extent of exposure to PCE and TCE is essential to understanding the health effects on former residents. TCE and PCE are known to have toxic effects on both animals and humans. The National Research Council assembled a multidisciplinary committee of scientists and health experts to review the scientific evidence on the associations between adverse health effects and exposure to contaminated drinking water. The committee's investigation focused on toxicologic and epidemiologic literature on TCE and PCE and considered studies of Camp Lejeune residents and other populations exposed to these contaminants.

The contamination at Camp Lejeune has had significant impacts on the health of former residents and their families, with many developing cancer, birth defects, and other serious health conditions. Victims claim that USMC leaders concealed knowledge of the problem and failed to act appropriately to resolve it or notify former residents.

Contaminated water caused health issues like cancer and ALS

The water contamination problem at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, occurred from 1953 to 1987. During this period, the base's water supply was contaminated with harmful chemicals, including trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE). These contaminants were present at concentrations ranging from 240 to 3,400 times higher than the safe levels permitted by safety standards.

The toxic effects of TCE and PCE exposure are well-documented, and they are known to have detrimental effects on both humans and animals. As a result, individuals who were exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune have reported various health issues. One of the most concerning health issues linked to the contaminated water is cancer. Studies have found a strong connection between the water contamination and increased cancer risks, including bladder cancer, breast cancer, oesophageal cancer, kidney cancer, liver cancer, lung cancer, nervous system cancer, adult leukaemia, and multiple myeloma.

In addition to cancer, the contaminated water has also been associated with other severe health conditions, such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) or Lou Gehrig's disease. Parkinson's disease, aplastic anaemia, renal toxicity, fatty liver disease, and scleroderma have also been linked to water exposure at Camp Lejeune. The water contamination has also been implicated in infertility issues, miscarriages, and congenital disabilities in children born to parents who were exposed.

The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022, also known as Section 804 of the Honoring our Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act, recognises the harm caused by the contaminated water. It allows veterans, survivors, and families who lived or were exposed to the contaminated water at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, to seek relief and compensation for the health issues caused by the contamination.

Contamination sources included industrial spills and a dry-cleaning business

The water contamination at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, was caused by a range of factors, including industrial spills and a dry-cleaning business operating nearby. The contamination affected two water-supply systems on the base: the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point water-treatment plants. These plants provided water to enlisted family housing, barracks, base administrative offices, schools, and recreational areas. The Hadnot Point system also served the base hospital and an industrial area.

The primary contaminants found in the water supply at Camp Lejeune were the industrial solvents trichloroethylene (TCE) and perchloroethylene (PCE). TCE and PCE are known to have toxic effects on both humans and animals. These chemicals can cause various health issues, including cancer, ALS, fatty liver disease, infertility, and Parkinson's Disease. The contamination levels of TCE and PCE in the water supply at Camp Lejeune were dangerously high, far exceeding current safe levels.

The Tarawa Terrace water system was primarily contaminated with PCE, which was used by an off-base dry-cleaning business, ABC One-Hour Cleaners. The groundwater in this area became contaminated due to spills and improper disposal practices by the dry cleaner. The contamination of the Hadnot Point water supply was more complex and involved multiple sources and contaminants. While PCE was also detected in the Hadnot Point system, TCE was the primary contaminant found in the wells.

In addition to the off-base dry-cleaning business, there were other on-base sources of contamination, particularly for the Hadnot Point water supply. These sources included industrial spills, leaks from underground storage tanks, and drums at dumps and storage lots. The extent of contamination at Hadnot Point has not yet been fully characterized, as historical reconstruction and groundwater modelling have not been performed for this area. However, numerous sites have been identified as possible contributors to the groundwater contamination, including an industrial area, a drum dump, a transformer storage lot, and a former on-base dry cleaner.

USMC personnel and families ingested contaminated water

From 1953 to 1987, the water supply systems at the US Marine Corps (USMC) Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were contaminated with harmful chemicals. During this period, USMC personnel and their families were exposed to toxic water through ingestion and other means.

The contamination was caused by multiple sources, including industrial area spills, waste disposal sites, and leaking underground storage tanks. One significant source was a nearby dry-cleaning business that dumped wastewater laden with chemicals, such as tetrachloroethylene or perchloroethylene (PCE), into drains. PCE, a suspected carcinogen, was also used by the Marines on the base for cleaning machinery.

The contamination affected two of the eight water wells on the base, particularly the Tarawa Terrace and Hadnot Point water-treatment plants. These plants supplied water to enlisted family housing, barracks, base administrative offices, schools, and recreational areas. The Hadnot Point system also served the base hospital and an industrial area.

The water contamination resulted in high levels of chemicals in the base's water supply, with concentrations ranging from 240 to 3,400 times the current safe levels. The main chemicals involved were volatile organic compounds (VOCs), including PCE and trichloroethylene (TCE). TCE is a degreaser and an industrial solvent, while PCE is used in dry cleaning.

As a result of the contaminated water, USMC personnel and their families faced potential health risks and ailments. An undetermined number of former residents developed cancer, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), fatty liver disease, infertility, and Parkinson's disease, which could be linked to the contaminated water. A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that those who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune during the contamination were more likely to die from certain cancers or ALS.

In response to the water contamination, the US government has faced lawsuits and has provided avenues for relief and compensation. The Camp Lejeune Justice Act of 2022 allows veterans, survivors, and families to seek relief and compensation for harm caused by the contaminated water. Additionally, the Janey Ensminger Act, signed into law by President Obama in 2012, provides medical care for those affected by the contamination.

USMC leaders allegedly concealed knowledge of the problem

The water contamination problem at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, occurred from 1953 to 1987. During this period, United States Marine Corps (USMC) personnel, their families, and international assignees ingested and bathed in contaminated water. The water was tainted with harmful chemicals, including volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as perchloroethylene (PCE) and trichloroethylene (TCE), at concentrations 240 to 3,400 times higher than safe levels.

Victims of the contamination claim that USMC leaders concealed knowledge of the issue and failed to take appropriate action or notify former residents. In 2005, the US Department of Justice and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) investigated the USMC's handling of the situation and found no criminal conduct by USMC officials. However, in 2007, an EPA investigator told Congress that he had recommended obstruction of justice charges against some Camp Lejeune officials but was overruled by Justice Department prosecutors.

In 1980, the base began testing the water for trihalomethanes due to new EPA regulations. The following year, a laboratory from the US Army Environmental Hygiene Agency found halogenated hydrocarbons in the water and reported that it was "highly contaminated with other chlorinated hydrocarbons (solvents)!" Despite this discovery, the base's wells were only shut off in the mid-1980s, and even then, they were later placed back online in violation of the law.

The contamination has been linked to various health issues among former residents, including cancer, ALS, fatty liver disease, infertility, and Parkinson's Disease. In 2008, the USMC began a Congressionally mandated campaign to notify former residents of the issue, and an online health registry has since been created, containing over 135,000 names. The Veterans Affairs (VA) department has acknowledged that some service members' cancers were caused by their exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune.

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