Pentagon Acknowledges Burn Pits May Pose Health Risk to Veterans

Northville, MI (Law Firm Newswire) August 7, 2019 – In a feasibility study report released by Congress last month, the Department of Defense has acknowledged that exposure to the burn pits sometimes used at military sites to dispose of waste can have dangerous health consequences. The report stopped short of closing the burn pits and ending the practice, however.

Veterans who served in Afghanistan and Iraq have had some significant health issues as a result of the toxic smoke and byproducts of the open fires. Waste management via burn pit is only allowed when there are no other options for disposing of the waste. Currently, there are nine operating burn pits on United States military bases around the world. Seven are in Syria, one in Afghanistan, and one in Egypt.

“The practice of openly burning waste and garbage as a means of disposal is intended to be a last resort, and only temporary when used,” said James G. Fausone, lead attorney at Legal Help for Veterans. “We are seeing the health problems our veterans are coming home with after serving in areas where burn pits are used frequently.”

Thousands of Iraq and Afghanistan war veterans believe they have been harmed by exposure to open burn pits. Veterans claim that the toxins released by burn pits caused their respiratory, skin, eye, gastrointestinal issues, cancers and other diseases. Unfortunately, those who suffer from illnesses they believe were caused by burn pits have faced years of disagreement regarding the cause of their health problems.
Burn pits are used to dispose of many types of waste, including food, plastics, petroleum products, munitions, chemicals, biohazardous waste and more. The potential damage caused by burn pits is influenced by what is burned, the service person’s proximity to the fire and the direction of the wind.

“Acknowledgement by the Pentagon that burn pits sometimes have dangerous health implications does not imply responsibility, but it is a step in the right direction,” added Fausone.

Legal Help for Veterans is available to help anyone who has been denied VA benefits. Contact the firm at 800-693-4800 or visit their website at https://www.legalhelpforveterans.com/.

Learn more at http://www.legalhelpforveterans.com Legal Help for Veterans, PLLC 41700 West Six Mile Road, Suite 101 Northville, MI 48168 Toll Free Phone: 800.693.4800