Dangerous Chemical Exceeds 500x EPA Safety Standard at Okinawa Marine Base

The following is an excerpt from a report by a Veteran health focused non-profit, HunterSeven Foundation:

The Naval Public Health Center found the toxic equivalent of 0.0025 mg/kg of the dioxin 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (“TCDD”) in the area of the Marine Corps Maintenance Bldg. 1304, an outdoor exercise facility and the base skatepark – which is FIVE-HUNDRED times the EPA’s carcinogenic screening level. Another section of the base, surrounding the medical clinic, registered more than one-hundred times higher, making the area unsafe for children. Other areas across the base, specifically the Kinser Elementary School and adjacent sports fields were deemed toxic after contaminated soil was used to fill the surrounding area.

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There is a noted, positive correlation between airborne exposures to dioxins and TCDD which may lead to a cancer diagnosis of chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (NHL) (Gaspard et al., 2022). It is unknown if this sample population was exposed to the chemical directly or passively through secondary exposures via soil / sand which we assume would make an important difference in reference to our military members.

Which Okinawa base, and which #MarineCorps units are effected? Read the the medical fallouts below.https://t.co/3qrbbnCgYi pic.twitter.com/F1uY3LozjD

— HunterSeven Foundation (@H7Foundation) February 10, 2023

Patriotism & Poison

The US military has a long history of exposing their troops to toxic substances. Black mold, radiation, burn pits, and tainted water have all been directly linked to life threatening maladies.

Many Veterans believe it is not merely enough to pass legislation decades after service members are exposed. Furthermore, several outspoken Veteran health advocates insist the government must take more accountability in the present. This would include a top-down review of potential sources of exposures, and more frequent testing of work spaces and water sources on base.

The toxins found at the Okinawa Marine Base are certainly disturbing, and speak to a larger problem the government seems hard pressed to acknowledge. Our troops deserve better.