The Marine Corps Air Station El Toro is a former military base. MCAS El Toro was established in 1942 and operated until 1999 on the West Coast. Back in the 1960s, a large gaggle of US Marines departed for and returned from Vietnam via El Toro MCAS. This base, which supported Pacific Fleet Marine Forces was formerly a US Marine Corps Air Station.
It was located close to the town of El Toro and not far from Irvine, California. It encompassed about 4,682 acres and housed Marine Corps aviation until being decommissioned. Marine Corps Air Station El Toro is just one of the many military facilities in the nation that are seriously polluted by spilled PFAS for many years, some of which are quite dangerous.
The military base was built as a Master Jet Station, meaning that thanks to its four runways, it could accommodate the biggest aircraft in the United States. The Marines and other agencies identified 25 likely landfills suspected of being toxic dumps and other contaminated locations on the base. Sadly, so far, only Camp Lejeune has been afforded support, even though the single-party state of California could have supported its own when its politicians voted to help east coast attorneys disable the Tort Claims act so its lawyers could clean up the money aspect of the dumped chemicals.
The contaminated locations included:
- Four landfills (Possibly harboring hazardous and solid waste)
- Other areas contaminated with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), battery acid waste, fuel containing lead, as well other hazardous substances.
The Navy was the lead Department of Defense (DoD) agency, participating in the Installation Restoration Program. This was a specially funded program established DoD officials back in 1978. The goal was to “identify, investigate and control the migration of hazardous contaminants at military and other DoD facilities.”
If you worked at the military facility and are currently dealing with a condition that might be brought on by PFAS exposure, the Paul Ehline Memorial Ride is here to support you and raise awareness for service-related cancer.
What Happened at the Marine Corps Air Station El Toro on the West Coast?
People stationed there after 1966 were probably exposed to hazardous substances; however, they aren’t a threat anymore because the military site is closed. It was found that the PFAS concentration at the military base was 3,826 parts per trillion. This is significantly higher than the limit established by the Environmental Protection Agency, which is 70 parts per trillion. Unfortunately, Marine Corps Air Station El Toro is associated with toxic exposure to this day.
Two sites were primarily severely contaminated. The long-term remedy, Sites 1 and 2, was announced in February 2012.
The official plan included:
- Addressing contaminated soils
- Munitions and explosives cleanup
Plan for OU-2, Site 2 Groundwater:
- Site 2 groundwater was coupled with Site 1 groundwater due to the perchlorate plume originating at Site 1 and Site 2. After the February 2012 remedy selection, pilot studies and remedial design have been ongoing.
The remediation of ongoing OU-1, Groundwater Sites 18 and 24:
- After the remedy selection of 2002, Irvine Ranch Water District completed its portion of the remedy.
The compounds now being examined the most include PFOS and PFOA. They are also well above the PFAS regulatory limits in California, which are10 parts per trillion for PFOA and 40 parts per trillion for PFOS. Because of this, service members and their loved ones are at a very high risk of becoming very ill after being at this military base.
What Diseases Can PFAS Cause?
The worst health problem that PFAS and other toxins found on Marine Corps Air Station El Toro can result in is cancer, which can manifest itself in different places of the human body based on where the chemical concentration is highest. However, PFAS exposure also causes various chronic or acute health issues that call for rapid medical attention.
All of the following illnesses have a proven link to PFAS exposure:
- Aplastic anemia
- Adult leukemia
- Birth defects
- Bladder cancer
- Breast cancer
- Cervical cancer
- Kidney cancer
- Lung cancer
- Liver cancer
- Multiple myeloma
- Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma
- Parkinson’s disease
- Reproductive issues
- Prostate cancer
- Ovarian cancer
- Other medical issues
- Other cancers.
If you were given one of these diagnoses, you might have a toxic exposure claim. Lastly, if you were a pregnant Marine Corps Air Station El Toro resident who later gave birth to a child who had health concerns, you might be eligible for compensation for your child.
Has Any Action Been Taken to Deal with the Toxic Chemicals?
Federal steps are being taken to remediate the site, with the Navy serving as the primary Department of Defense (DoD) department.
The Installation Restoration Program is a federally funded initiative started by the DoD in 1978 to identify, look into, and manage the migration of hazardous materials at military and other DoD installations, including El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.
While a groundwater cleanup system is the answer to the remaining contamination, soil gas and groundwater monitoring wells were initially in place to deal with the environmental cleanup.
The site has received free soil vapor extraction and product removal systems. Fortunately, capping and habitat restoration have been completed at Site 2; however, there is still a lot of work to be done. Groundwater extraction is also fully operational due to the underground storage tanks and treatment system.
What Hazardous Contaminants Can be Found at the Base?
Due to the extreme level of contamination on the site, the military base was designated a Superfund site in 1990. A fire suppressant known as AFFF, which was used by military trainees and firefighters to put out gasoline and oil fires, was the main source of the PFAS contaminants that were present at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro. Despite being quite successful, the chemical has a significant flaw: it has a lot of PFAS, which, once released into the environment, does not degrade and stays there indefinitely. However, the military base is being cleaned up by the Environmental Protection Agency. The groundwater contamination also includes VOCs and petroleum hydrocarbons.
Other hazardous substances, some of the deadliest of which are listed below, were discovered at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, worsening the extent of toxic exposure among the military personnel that lived there.
Other Contaminants Found by the Environmental Protection Agency Include:
- Arsenic
- Acetone
- Aluminum
- Beryllium
- Benzene
- Bromoform
- Carbon tetrachloride
- Carbon disulfide
- Styrene
- Manganese
- Toluene
- Xylene.
The amount of hazardous exposure among military personnel who were there between 1966 and 1999 was made worse due to the many pollutants present. These all have a significant link to different malignancies.
The Current State of the Site
Several long-term remedial stages are being implemented at this location, with a focus on dealing with the contaminated groundwater. Groundwater remediation efforts consist of finding the origins of contaminated soil from volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and cleaning up abandoned wastewater treatment lines, tanks, and pipes.
In 1990, the EPA included the site on the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL). Three operable units were developed by EPA for the site to handle site investigations and cleanup effectively. Furthermore, part of the El Toro base is now known as Orange County Great Park, as it was converted into a recreation complex.
The Paul Ehline Memorial Ride (PER) Supports You From Camp Lejeune to the Pacific Ocean
Cancer awareness is essential. Through motorcycle rides, the PER raises awareness about service-related cancer. Suppose you were exposed to PFAS while residing at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro.
In that case, you are probably entitled to compensation, regardless of whether you are a retired El Toro marine, a veteran, or a family member of a covered vet. As a result, we strongly advise you to get formal legal advice over your disability and diagnosis. You only need to submit your medical documents as proof of your toxic exposure claim and military records. Your children could even be subject to genetic mutation and neurological problems. This is no joke!
