The Iowa Army Ammunition Plant (IAAAP), also known as Des Moines Arsenal Plant, is situated near Middletown, southeast Iowa, and has been a major facility for ammunition production by the U.S. military ever since 1941. Spanning more than 19,000 acres, the government-owned, contractor-operated installation has produced artillery shells, bombs, missiles, and other defense materials through World War II, the Cold War, the Gulf War, and into the modern era.
The IAAAP has established the usage of aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) in firefighting and conducting training. Military bases utilized AFFF extensively since it could extinguish flammable liquid fires often seen near industrial areas or military bases.
Earlier generations of AFFF contained PFAS chemicals such as PFOA and PFOS, which are not easily broken down by the environment and therefore accumulate in groundwater, soil, and drinking water systems.
Those with higher potential for exposure to PFAS include the following:
- firefighters
- Fire Brigade members
- emergency response teams
- firefighting training instructors
- maintenance staff working around fire suppression systems
- environmental response employees
- contractors working in firefighting infrastructure
- military personnel engaged in fire training exercises
According to studies, prolonged exposure to PFAS from AFFF leads to a higher likelihood of getting kidney cancer and testicular cancer. Considering that AFFF was used repeatedly during both emergencies and regular training sessions, the workers who handled the firefighting equipment might have been exposed to it multiple times.
Many of the structures and systems at IAAAP were built at a time when asbestos was commonly used in construction for industrial and military purposes because of its durability and heat resistance. Asbestos was used extensively throughout the plant’s boiler houses, steam systems, machine shops, manufacturing buildings, warehouses, and utility structures.
Documented asbestos abatement activities at IAAAP demonstrated the existence of asbestos-containing materials at the site. Nonetheless, regulatory records usually document removal efforts only and do not necessarily take account of asbestos materials left behind, disturbed by ordinary maintenance operations, or discovered before current reporting requirements were introduced.
Some of the historical uses of asbestos at IAAAP include:
- pipe insulation
- boiler insulation
- steam system insulation
- fireproof wallboard
- ceiling tiles
- floor tiles
- roofing materials
- cement products
- mechanical equipment insulation
- gaskets and packing materials
Occupations that may have involved increased exposure risks include:
- maintenance workers
- boiler operators
- pipefitters
- electricians
- welders
- machinists
- construction workers
- manufacturing workers
- civilian contractors
Workers, contractors, and military personnel who spent time at the IAAAP and later developed mesothelioma or lung cancer may wish to review their occupational history with qualified medical and legal professionals to understand available evaluation and compensation options better.