In May of 2020, there was a whopping 62 military installations in California with suspected or known PFAS contamination, among which McClellan Air Force Base. The presence of PFAS on the premises of this military base has greatly endangered the health of everyone who spent time there and continues to do so, as once PFAS enter your bloodstream, they cannot be eliminated by your body. Over the years, the accumulation of these chemicals in your body can lead to life-threatening diseases. In 1987, McClellan Air Force Base was declared a Superfund site due to the degree of contamination it had.
What contaminants of concern were present on McClellan Air Force Base?
Even though PFAS exist in concentrations that slightly exceed the permissible limit of 70 parts per trillion set by the Environmental Protection Agency, their presence on McClellan Air Force Base was enough to affect the health of members of the military and civilians who stayed there for more than a couple of months. If you wonder where PFAS came from on U.S. military bases, the answer is simple: AFFF, a fire suppressant used to put out jet fuel and petroleum fires by military firefighters and trainees after 1966.
While very effective in extinguishing Class B fires, AFFF contains a great amount of PFAS, and as soon as the chemicals are released into the environment, they persist there forever or at least until organizations such as the Environmental Protection Agency take action to clean up the contaminated site. PFAS are also known as "forever chemicals" because they remain in the environment for undetermined periods of time, and exposure to these dangerous substances occurs via inhalation and ingestion.
Besides PFAS, the Environmental Protection Agency discovered other contaminants of concern on McClellan Air Force Base, including the following:
- industrial solvents and cleaners
- aviation fuels
- electroplating chemicals
- oils and lubricants
- radioactive materials
- other wastes
What diseases is PFAS exposure responsible for?
There is no doubt that the most harrowing disease exposure to PFAS can result in is cancer, which can affect multiple organs and tissues in the body, depending on where the largest amount of these chemicals has accumulated. Nevertheless, there are other severe health issues PFAS exposure is responsible for, many of which are life-threatening as well. These are all the health problems one can experience if they were exposed to PFAS:
In the unfortunate event that you have one of these diagnoses as a consequence of having been stationed at McClellan Air Force Base, you should get in touch with our legal team, as you may be able to obtain financial compensation from the liable AFFF companies for your distress and suffering. Last but not least, if you spent time on this military base while being pregnant and you gave birth to a baby with health problems, you should contact us as well, as you can recover compensation for your child.