American Lung Association urges U.S. Senate to ban open-air burn pits

Before the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, the American Lung Association urged the government to ban open-air burn pits on military bases in Iraq and Afghanistan due to the "health effects of burning refuse." Asking that the government immediately pursue alternative means of waste-disposal, the Association also recommended that the DoD and Va should jointly monitor both the short and long-term consequences of burn pit exposure on military personnel as well as establish a national registry to track those who have been exposed.

The potential health hazards associated with exposure to burn pit fumes and toxins was first reported by Military Times in 2008, and numerous soldiers, veterans and former employees of defense contractors have since come forward with chronic illnesses that they fear may have been caused by prolonged exposure to the pits while on duty abroad.

Read about how Motley Rice attorneys are fighting on behalf of those who may have suffered as a result of burn pit exposure, and see the latest burn pit information in addition to related media and resources.