{"id":17751,"date":"2022-07-18T17:05:53","date_gmt":"2022-07-18T21:05:53","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/?page_id=17751"},"modified":"2024-01-12T11:54:44","modified_gmt":"2024-01-12T16:54:44","slug":"what-happened-at-camp-lejeune","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.sinklaw.com\/faqs\/what-happened-at-camp-lejeune\/","title":{"rendered":"What Happened at Camp Lejeune?"},"content":{"rendered":"

The environmental disaster at Camp LeJeune stands as one of the worst cases of water contamination in US history. Marines and their families have suffered cancer and other illnesses for decades as a result of negligence on the part of those responsible. Cases stretch back to the 1950s, and exposure continues to this day.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you or a loved one have become sick from the toxic drinking water contamination event at the US Marion Corps training facility in North Carolina, you deserve to know what happened at Camp LeJeune. You also deserve help from the compassionate and experienced law firm of <\/span>George Sink, PA Injury Lawyers<\/span><\/a> to win restitution for everything you have endured from someone else\u2019s carelessness.<\/span><\/p>\n

What Is Camp LeJeune?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Camp LeJeune<\/span><\/a> is a large military installation located in southeastern North Carolina that is home to the US Marine Corps \u201cExpeditionary Forces in Readiness.\u201d This facility was opened in 1942 and is named after Lieutenant General John Archer LeJeune (1867-1942). The base is a center for combat readiness training for Marines and Sailors and houses over 137,000 troops, their families, civilian workers, contractors, guests, and veterans.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The facility comprises close to 156,000 acres of <\/span>land and water<\/span><\/a> which includes 14 miles of North Carolina beachhead.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Happened at Camp LeJeune?<\/span><\/h2>\n

In the 1980s, US Army Lab testing determined that the water used at Camp LeJeune had been contaminated with dangerously high levels of various chemicals. Many of the substances are known carcinogens. Thousands of individuals who spent time at the base have reported multiple medical issues and diseases.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The Veterans\u2019 Administration (VA) began a <\/span>benefits program<\/span><\/a> for those who were exposed and contracted a range of illnesses, such as various cancers and Parkinson\u2019s disease.<\/span><\/p>\n

Where did the Contamination Come From?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Camp Lejuene specializes in training troops for wartime incursions and quick readiness deployments. Part of the support for these missions includes laboratories that research new advancements in warfare tactics and weapons.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

When the research began in the 1940s, little was known about how dangerous it is to dispose of toxic waste in the ground. Hazardous and even radioactive products were sealed in <\/span>large containers<\/span><\/a> and buried around the facility.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

These chemicals leaked into the soil from the containers, causing contamination. Other waste products were dumped directly into the waterways, and repeated fuel leaks from the fuel dumping grounds added to the problem. Additionally, a dry cleaning store across from the base emptied their waste chemicals into sewer drains that ran into the rivers in the area.<\/span><\/p>\n

How did the Contaminants Get into the Water Used at Camp Lejuene?<\/span><\/h2>\n

The terrain in this part of North Carolina is made of sandy loam, which is a very permeable type of soil. Camp LeJeune also encloses large watery areas such as rivers, marsh, and oceanfront. As chemicals leaked into the ground, they infiltrated the groundwater aquifers and traveled through the surrounding land.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Water treatment plants on the site were unable to clean the water sufficiently, causing residents of the base to ingest the chemicals almost continuously. It was in the water they used for washing, bathing, drinking, and preparing food.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How Many People Have Been Exposed to the Water Contamination?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Troops stationed at Camp LeJeune typically stay for a period of several weeks to a few years. Civilian employees and contractors often work there for years at a time. Because contamination is believed to have begun as early as 1953 and continued to approximately 1987, the number of people exposed is estimated at over 750,000.<\/span><\/p>\n

When Was the Water Contamination Discovered?<\/span><\/h2>\n

In 1980, new regulations enacted by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) required the military to begin testing all their facilities for toxic chemicals. In March 1981, the US Army lab from Fort McPherson tested samples from one of the water treatment plants on the Camp LeJeune base. The <\/span>report<\/span><\/a> indicated the water was \u201chighly contaminated with low molecular weight halogenated hydrocarbons.\u201d\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Later <\/span>tests<\/span><\/a> in 1982 showed chemical levels anywhere from 240 to 3400 times the permitted safe levels.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How Were Reports of the Contamination at Camp LeJeune Handled?<\/span><\/h2>\n

How the Marine Corps handled the reports of toxic water contamination at Camp LeJeune is a matter of controversy. The Marine Corps reports they acted quickly, but there is evidence they delayed efforts to even acknowledge the problem. Contaminated wells were not closed until five years after the first report, meaning service members, their families, veterans living on base, and civilians working there all continued to use the water in the affected area, unaware of the danger they faced.<\/span><\/p>\n

The <\/span>Project on Government Oversight (POGO)<\/span><\/a> claims that there are no Navy (therefore, no Marine) installations that provide clean drinking water in the US or overseas. This means that despite efforts to decontaminate the area, Camp LeJeune remains a risky location for troops and their families.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What Chemicals Were Found in the Water at Camp LeJeune?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Many different chemicals have been found in the water during many years of testing. However, the most dangerous ones found in the highest concentrations were:<\/span><\/p>\n