Sued over Toxic Burn Pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pentagon Keeps Using Them

[The Straight Story]

Sued over Toxic Burn Pits in Iraq and Afghanistan, Pentagon Keeps Using Them

While multiple lawsuits make their way through the courts against contractors hired by the Department of Defense (DOD) to burn garbage and toxic materials in the Iraq and Afghanistan war zones, the military is continuing to use the controversial waste disposal method—and ignore federal regulations in the process.

The Government Accountability Office reviewed burn pits at four U.S. bases in Iraq and found none complied with government rules intended to protect soldiers. The pits discharged dangerous emissions containing carbon monoxide, dioxins, particulate matter and carcinogens, but the military didn’t bother to test the air despite its own regulations requiring it to do so. All of the pits were run by contractor Kellogg, Brown and Root (KBR).

As of August of this year, there were 251 pits in use in Afghanistan and 22 in Iraq. The Department of Defense is theoretically committed to lessening its reliance on burn pits by building incinerators and landfills, and minimizing waste through recycling and source reduction, but in practice it has been slow pursue any of these solutions.

At least 500 war veterans have reported illnesses blamed on exposure to the open-pit burning of toxic waste by the military and defense contractors Halliburton and its former subsidiary, KBR. Neither the DOD nor the VA has systematically collected information about burn pit victims. In addition, DOD has not implemented a plan for effectively monitoring air quality near burn pits.

http://www.allgov.com/Controversies/ViewNews/Sued_over_Toxic_Burn_Pits_in_Iraq_and_Afghanistan_Pentagon_Keeps_Using_Them_101017

[unhappycamper]

1. KBR still owns 4 of the Iraq burn pits.

GAO Sez Four KBR Burn Pits In Iraq Violate Laws