The base, today known as Pease Air National Guard Base, is located at Portsmouth International Airport in Pease, New Hampshire. Pease Air Force Base was built in 1930 and was closed in 1991 as a result of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission action. Because military firefighters would regularly use aqueous film-forming foam, commonly known as AFFF, to extinguish aircraft fire, either during training or on duty, contamination with PFAS, a group of dangerous chemicals, was inevitable. Exposure to PFAS occurs mostly from drinking tainted water, but these toxic agents can easily infiltrate the soil as well, where they will remain for a very long period of time, as they are “forever chemicals”.
If you are a veteran or a family member of one who was stationed at Pease Air Force Base for at least 1 cumulative year and came to struggle with a disease as a consequence of exposure to PFAS, you are eligible for compensation.
In 1990, Pease Air Force Base was added to the Superfund sites list of the Environmental Protection Agency as a result of the heavy contamination with PFAS, as well as with other toxic agents, and 25 years later, after the damage was cleaned, Pease Air Force Base has 275 businesses employing nearly 10,000 civilian workers. In 2017, the EPA found 96,900 parts per trillion of PFAS in the drinking water on the base, which is well above the permissible limit. However, because aircraft maintenance entails generating hazardous waste, there were multiple dangerous chemicals polluting Pease Air Force Base.
In addition to PFAS, national health agencies found numerous other contaminants on Pease Air Force Base, exposure to which can result in serious diseases. Thereby, people who were stationed on this military base after 1970, when AFFF began gaining popularity, were exposed to multiple dangerous chemicals, which only increases their risk of developing a terrible disease over the years. The following are some of the most prevalent toxic agents present on the base:
Since 1990, the EPA has been striving to clean up the area by using techniques such as soil excavation and disposal, air sparging to treat petroleum and solvent contamination, and soil vapor extraction. While Pease Air Force Base is now deemed clean, PFAS cannot be completely removed from the environment, as they are “forever chemicals”. Therefore, people who are living there at the moment need to pay close attention to their health.
Exposure to PFAS can lead to the development of numerous diseases over the years. It is worthy of note that disease takes 10 to 20 years to occur as a result of PFAS exposure, as the chemicals gradually cause damage to your organs. The following are the diseases that can stem from PFAS exposure, as well as the diagnoses that make you eligible for seeking compensation:
Diseases due to toxic exposure are often misdiagnosed, therefore we strongly encourage you to seek a second and even a third opinion. Not only will a correct and accurate diagnosis help you receive the treatment you need, but it may also make you eligible for compensation.
If you are a veteran or a family member of one, and were stationed on Pease Air Force Base and subsequently developed a serious disease, please contact Atraxia Law to find out if you are eligible to file a PFAS claim. After deemed eligible a PFAS lawyer will file the claim on your behalf. Eventually, you will receive the maximum compensation available from Pease Air Force Base.