The U.S. Air Force has already initiated soil excavation and water treating actions, but the work is still in progress. The cleanup process at Kirtland Air Force Base is focused on preventing the spread of the contamination beyond the facility’s boundaries and towards community water wells.
While AFFF has been considered very effective in extinguishing petroleum and jet fuel fires for more than six decades of use, it has been recently proven that it poses a great risk to the environment and human health. The considerable amounts of “forever chemicals” it releases are extremely toxic due to their persistence and consequences.
What are the toxic agents present on Kirtland Air Force Base?
PFAS values above recommended exposure levels represent an increased risk of contamination among members of the military and neighboring residents of Kirtland Air Force Base altogether. The health dangers arising from the presence of the two most prevalent chemicals, PFOS and PFOA, are amplified by many other contaminants that the Environmental Working Group found on the military base:
- arsenic
- bromodichloromethane
- bromoform
- chromium
- dibromoacetic acid
- dibromochloromethane
- haloacetic acids
- uranium
- total trihalomethanes
All these carcinogenic substances on Kirtland Air Force Base intensify the magnitude of toxic exposure among service members stationed here and people living in nearby areas, as inhalation or ingestion can lead to severe diseases.
What diseases can PFAS exposure cause?
The Environmental Protection Agency deems both PFOA and PFOS as “emerging contaminants,” known to generate adverse health effects, cancer being the most dreadful one. Other medical conditions you can develop as a result of PFAS exposure during your time at Kirtland Air Force Base are:
If you recently received any of these diagnoses, we strongly advise you to get in touch with our legal team right away, as you may be qualified for filing a toxic exposure claim with the VA and for personal injury as well; therefore, the assistance of an experienced lawyer can make a tremendous difference in maximizing the amount of reparations you deserve. Women who were pregnant while staying at Kirtland Air Force Base and gave birth to children with health problems may also be eligible for compensation.
