According to the Department of Environmental Quality of Oklahoma, Vance Air Force Base has utilized a variety of materials and substances in support of military activities and operations, including chemicals that pose risks to both the environment and human health. Some of these toxins have already resulted in groundwater and soil contamination within the site.
What toxic contaminants were found at Vance Air Force Base?
Vance Air Force Base is one of the 720 military bases with known PFAS contamination. In 2018, the Environmental Working Group (EWG) reported that at least 15 types of PFAS have been detected in the groundwater sources of Vance Air Force Base. These are:
- 6:2 FTS
- 8:2 FTS
- NEtFOSAA
- NMeFOSAA
- PFBS
- PFDA
- PFDoA
- PFHpA
- PFHxA
- PFHxS
- PFNA
- PFOA
- PFOS
- PFOS + PFOA
- PFTrDA
Like at most military bases, at Vance Air Force Base, aqueous film-forming foam (AFFF) was used for both actual emergencies and training exercises in the past. However, these firefighting foams mostly contain PFAS components, and the PFAS levels at Vance Air Force Base have reached as high as 390,000 ppt, nearly 100,000 times higher than the Environmental Protection Agency’s enforced limit of just four ppt in drinking water. Due to the severity of the contamination, the EWG ranked Vance Air Force Base among the 100 most heavily affected military sites in the country.
What health issues are connected with PFAS exposure at Vance Air Force Base?
Exposure to PFAS has been connected to multiple severe health conditions, including life-threatening ones such as certain types of cancer. These include:
One of the most prominent studies linking PFAS exposure and military service involved members of the U.S. Air Force. Researchers from the National Cancer Institute found a link between PFAS exposure among U.S. Air Force personnel and increased risks of developing testicular cancer, one of the most common types of cancer affecting men.
If you or a loved one has been deployed to Vance Air Force Base and has developed any of the diseases mentioned above, we advise you to contact us immediately, as you might be eligible for compensation.
