In 2019, the Environmental Working Group found that the concentration of PFAS in the environment of Eglin Air Force Base was 552,200 parts per trillion, whereas the safe limit is 70 parts per trillion. Consequently, the issue of contamination and toxic exposure is extremely acute. The Environmental Protection Agency is currently assessing the extent of contamination on the military base, which is still active today.
What toxic agents are contaminating Eglin Air Force Base?
The hazardous agents that are present in the largest amount on Eglin Air Force Base are PFAS, whose source is the employment of AFFF, a fire suppressant, by military firefighters and trainees on the base. This foam is very effective in putting out jet fuel and petroleum fires, but it contains high concentrations of PFAS, which makes it very dangerous. Inhalation and ingestion are the routes of exposure to PFAS, and firefighters who were stationed on Eglin Air Force Base have the greatest risk of coming to struggle with a serious disease as a consequence of exposure.
In addition to PFAS, dioxins are also contaminating the environment of the military base, as there used to be a manufacturing site of Agent Orange nearby. Agent Orange is a herbicide mixture that is also very harmful to human health, as exposure to it causes prostate cancer, ischemic heart disease, and respiratory cancers, to name a few. It was used during the Vietnam War, between 1961 and 1971, by the U.S. military forces to destroy forests cover and crops for North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops.
What diseases can exposure to PFAS on Eglin Air Force Base lead to?
Unfortunately, PFAS are so toxic to our bodies that they can cause a myriad of health issues, the most serious being cancer, which can affect various parts of the body, depending on where the greatest concentration of these chemicals is located. These are the diseases that make you eligible to file a toxic exposure claim if you were stationed at Eglin Air Force Base for 1 cumulative year or longer:
Seeking compensation if exposure to PFAS has damaged your health is very important, as you will receive a considerable sum of money that will help you afford the healthcare and treatment you need, but the act of filing a toxic exposure claim will also hold liable the negligent parties. It is noteworthy that if you were pregnant during the time you spent on Eglin Air Force Base and your child was born with a health issue, you should also contact us, as you can recover financial compensation on behalf of your baby.
