Regrettably, Marine Corps Air Station El Toro left behind a toxic legacy after it was closed, as the concentration of PFAS in the environment of the military base was found to be 3,826 parts per trillion, which greatly exceeds the permissible limit of 70 parts per trillion set by the Environmental Protection Agency. Currently, PFOS and PFOA are the most studied chemicals from the PFAS group.
Their level on the premises of Marine Corps Air Station El Toro is also much higher than 40 parts per trillion for PFOS and the 10 parts per trillion for PFOA, which is the legal limit in California when it comes to PFAS. Consequently, having spent time on this military base places members of the military and their families at high risk of developing a severe health problem.
What contaminants of concern are lurking on Marine Corps Air Station El Toro?
In 1990, the military base was deemed a Superfund site by the Environmental Protection Agency as a result of the huge extent of contamination present on the site. PFAS were the primary contaminant of concern that was lurking on Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, and their source was the use of AFFF, a fire suppressant, by military firefighters and trainees for putting out petroleum and jet fuel fires. While very effective, AFFF has a major problem, namely that it contains a great amount of PFAS that, once released in the environment, do not break down and remain there forever. However, the Environmental Protection Agency is making efforts to clean up the military base.
To worsen the degree of toxic exposure among members of the military who were stationed there, other hazardous agents were found to be present on Marine Corps Air Station El Toro by the Environmental Protection Agency, some of the most dangerous being the following:
- acetone
- aluminum
- arsenic
- benzene
- beryllium
- bromoform
- carbon disulfide
- carbon tetrachloride
- manganese
- styrene
- toluene
- xylene
Naturally, the presence of so many contaminants, all of which have a strong link to multiple cancers, worsened the extent of toxic exposure among members of the military who had to spend time there between 1966, when AFFF started being used, and 1999, when the military base was closed. Accordingly, if you were stationed at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro during this period of time, we strongly advise you to keep a close eye on your health and to undergo periodical medical examinations, as a timely diagnosis can save your life.
What diseases can exposure to PFAS cause?
There are numerous health issues exposure to PFAS, as well as to the other contaminants present on Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, can cause, the most terrible being cancer, which can occur on various parts of the body, depending on where the highest concentration of these chemicals is located. Nevertheless, in addition to cancer, PFAS exposure is also responsible for other acute or chronic health problems that require immediate treatment. These are all the diseases that have a definitive connection with exposure to PFAS:
If you received one of these diagnoses, please contact our law firm, as we specialize in toxic exposure and can easily help you recover compensation for your physical and emotional distress from the liable AFFF manufacturers. Last but not least, if you were stationed at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro as a pregnant woman and you subsequently had a baby with health issues, you should give our legal team a call as well, as you can obtain compensation on behalf of your child.
