Camp Lejeune and Leukemia

Camp Lejeune Water and Leukemia

The four toxic, carcinogenic chemicals detected in the water at Camp Lejeune are:

• Benzene: Benzene is produced by both natural and man-made processes. It is used in industries such as the chemical and oil industries, and studies have shown that workers in those industries have a higher risk of developing leukemia.
• Perchloroethylene (PCE) or Tetrachloroethylene: PCE is an organic chemical and is toxic to humans, even in low concentrations. It is the primary solvent used in industrial and commercial dry cleaning, and tests showed extraordinarily high levels of PCE in Camp Lejeune’s water. PCE has been linked to leukemia. One source of the PCE in the water at Camp Lejeune is thought to be an off-base dry-cleaner named ABC One-Hour Cleaners.
• Trichloroethylene (TCE): TCE is a colorless volatile organic compound. It was widely used in industry as a cleaning agent and a degreaser, mainly for metal. At Camp Lejeune, TCE was used, among other things, to clean machinery. It is likely the TCE contamination in the water came from that cleaning use, from spills at industrial sites on-base, and from leaks from storage drums and underground tanks. Another source of the TCE contamination was an off-base dry-cleaner named ABC One-Hour Cleaners. That dry cleaner used some of the TCE sludge left over from its cleaning process to fill potholes, and also simply dumped it into the drains. Rainwater then carried off the discarded sludge, which eventually leached into the drinking water.
• Vinyl chloride: Vinyl chloride is a man-made chemical used in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a plastic material.

There is scientific evidence that all four of these chemicals are associated with leukemia, with TCE and benzene having the strongest causative relationship with leukemia. The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR), a component of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, found that the levels of the TCE and the three other toxic chemicals in the water at Camp Lejeune were well above the maximum contaminant levels allowed in the United States. The maximum legal levels for PCE, TCE, and vinyl chloride are 5 parts per billion (ppb), and the maximum is 2 ppb for benzene. The ATSDR reported that, “In the Hadnot Point system, the median monthly estimated average concentrations of TCE, PCE, vinyl chloride and benzene was 366 ppb, 15 ppb, 22 ppb and 5 ppb, respectively. In the Tarawa Terrace system, the median monthly estimated average concentrations of PCE, TCE and vinyl chloride were 85 ppb, 4 ppb and 6 ppb.”

Almost without exception, the average levels of those toxic chemicals found in Camp Lejeune water are far over the legal limit. In fact, they are generally multiples of the legal maximums—exceeding 70x the legal limit in the case of the PCE levels in the Hadnot Point system. Compare the 5 ppb and 2 ppb legal limits to the average concentrations of 366 ppb, 15 ppb, 22 ppb, and 85 ppb.

Camp Lejeune Water, Children, Unborn Children, and Leukemia

Many children and babies developed leukemia after their parents were exposed to the water at Camp Lejeune. TCE was detected in the breast milk of mothers at Camp Lejeune. There have been many studies of the connection between childhood leukemias and exposure to toxic waste. Studies have also linked exposure to these toxins in utero to the development of childhood leukemia.

Camp Lejeune, the PACT Act, Contaminated Water, and Leukemia

The Camp Lejeune Just Act of 2022 allows those affected by the toxic water who lived or worked at Camp Lejeune for at least 30 consecutive days between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, to file a lawsuit in federal court to be compensated for their pain and suffering and for expenses related to their diagnosis and medical treatment.

Even veterans who have had claims related to their service at Camp Lejeune denied by the Veterans Administration may qualify for compensation under this new law.

But there are strict time limits for filing a Camp Lejeune lawsuit. People diagnosed before June 2020 must file their lawsuit by August 2024 (two years from the passage of the Act). And there are other requirements, too. So, if you served, worked, or lived at Camp Lejeune between August 1, 1953, and December 31, 1987, or are the child of someone who did, and have been diagnosed with leukemia, contact us for a free consultation.