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Burn pit

A burn pit is an area of a United States military base in which waste is disposed of by burning.

According to the United States Army field manual, there are four other ways outside of burn pits to dispose of nonhazardous solid waste: incinerators, burial, landfills, and tactical burial.[2] Open-air burning is a way to dispose of waste, but increases risk of fire and produces noxious fumes.[3] Due to modern waste in deployed environments, there is plastic (including water bottles), shipping materials, electronic waste, and other material that may emit toxic aerial compounds. Burn pits were heavily criticized and resulted in lawsuits by veterans, Department of Defense civilians, and military contractors. Global environmental consciousness has especially criticized these instances of large-scale burn pit operation.[4] The effects of burn pits seem to be similar to that of fire debris cleanup.[5]


The Department of Defense estimates that 3.5 million service members were exposed to burn pits. The Department of Veterans Affairs has granted about 73% of veterans’ burn pit claims related to asthma, sinusitis and rhinitis.[6]

Use in the United States[edit]

Hazardous materials are burned in open piles at military installations in the United States, including the Radford Army Ammunition Plant in Virginia.[15]

Reproductive health outcomes: There is some research to suggest that from burn pits can have adverse birth outcomes (low birth weight, preterm delivery, and increased risk of birth defects). Additionally, there is growing evidence to suggest a reduction in sperm quality associated with burn pits.[19]

toxins

: A study found no elevated occurrence of rheumatoid arthritis and lupus among veterans deployed within 3 miles of burn pits.[20]

Autoimmune disorders

: One veteran believed her fatal pancreatic cancer was caused by burn pit exposure.[7] Joe Biden believes that exposure contributed to his son Beau Biden's brain cancer.[21] Other veterans were concerned that exposure contributed to illnesses including cancer, but many were denied compensation claims due to a "lack of evidence establishing a connection to military service."[22] More recently, the USDVA lists several forms of cancer as presumptive conditions for burn pit exposures.[4] One study using Burn Pits 360's registry found that there is a higher rate of proportionate cancer mortality among deceased veterans.[23]

Cancers

: A study from the Veterans Affairs Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry found that one-third of those exposed to burn pits were diagnosed with high blood pressure.[24]

High blood pressure

Respiratory disorders: The Veterans Affairs Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry shows that 30% of participatants have been diagnosed with , emphysema, and chronic bronchitis.[24]

chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

2009 – HR 2419, Military Personnel War Zone Toxic Exposure Prevention Act

2013 – President Obama signed the National Burn Pit Registry into law as part of the Dignified Burial and Veterans' Benefit Improvement Act of 2012.

2018 – President Trump signed the Helping Vets Exposed to Burn Pits Act.

2022 – President Biden signed the Promise to Address Comprehensive Toxics (PACT) Act

A Minnesota mother, Amie Muller, was a victim of the exposure and her senator, Amy Klobuchar (MN-DFL), carried a bill called the “Helping Vets Exposed to Burn Pits Act” that was passed and signed into law by President Donald Trump (as H.R. 5895) on September 21, 2018.[32] Through 2019, it provided $5 million for burn pit research, education and evaluation of the exposure of other U.S. service members and veterans to burn pits and toxic airborne chemicals.[33]


Congressional action taken includes:

Combustion

Incineration

Waste Incineration Directive

Waste management

  • VA Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry Video
  • "Report: Army making toxic mess in war zones" article by Kelly Kennedy in Military Times Oct 3, 2008
  • David E. Mosher, Beth E. Lachman, Michael D. Greenberg, Tiffany Nichols, Brian Rosen, Henry H. Willis, Green Warriors: Army Environmental Considerations for Contingency Operations from Planning through Post-Conflict, Rand Corporation (2008), trade paperback, 252 pages, ISBN 9780833043184
  • About Green Warriors on Rand website

    • Department of Veterans Affairs, Public Health, VA's Airborne Hazards and Open Burn Pit Registry webpage