Allegany Ballistics Laboratory
Keyser, WV
26
1942


Base Background
Allegany Ballistics Laboratory was established during World War II. This site functions as a research, development, production, and testing facility for ammunition and rocket motors and propellants. Environmental investigations have uncovered numerous toxins at this site that resulted from explosive, metal, and solvent waste.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the medical conditions associated with toxic exposure at this base, classified by the strength of evidence required (strong, good or limited).* Please keep in mind that it is not a complete list.
Toxin | Potential Effects | |||
---|---|---|---|---|
Strong | Good | Limited | ||
1,2-dichloroethylene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Aluminium | Potential Effects | Lung cancer Bronchitis chronic |
Spasticity/Myoclonus Seizures... Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Dementia Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Asthma allergic |
Sarcoidosis Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Porphyria toxic Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Alzheimer's ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Anthracene | Potential Effects | - | Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) |
- |
Antimony | Potential Effects | Bronchitis chronic |
COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Arrhythmias |
Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation... Menstrual disorders Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bladder cancer Anemia hemolytic Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Arsenic | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation... Diabetes Type II Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
Steatosis (fatty liver) Skeletal malformations... Renal (kidney) cancer Raynaud's phenomenon Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Nasal septal perforation Myocardial ischemia Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Hypertension Hepatoportal Sclerosis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Congenital malformations general Cirrhosis Cardiomyopathy Bladder cancer Arrhythmias Anemia hemolytic Alopecia Adult-Onset Leukemias |
Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Myelodysplastic syndrome... Metal fume fever Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Acute tubular necrosis |
Barium | Potential Effects | - | - | Sarcoidosis Arrhythmias |
Cadmium | Potential Effects | Renal stones Osteoporosis... Itaiitai disease Chronic renal disease Acute tubular necrosis |
Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Prostate cancer... Pneumonia Nephrotic syndrome COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cardiomyopathy Anemia hemolytic |
Testicular cancer Soft tissue sarcoma... Renal (kidney) cancer Pulmonary fibrosis Pulmonary edema Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatic cancer Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Metal fume fever Menstrual disorders Immune suppression Hypoactivity Hypertension Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Brain cancer adult Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Carbazole | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Chloroethene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Chromium | Potential Effects | Skin ulceration Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Nasal septal perforation Nasal polyps Cholestasis Bronchitis acute Asthma allergic |
Stomach cancer Pulmonary fibrosis... Psychiatric disturbances Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Pneumonia Photosensitivity Peripheral neuropathy Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Chronic renal disease Bronchitis acute Brain cancer adult ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Acute tubular necrosis |
Soft tissue sarcoma Skeletal malformations... Renal (kidney) cancer Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Prostate cancer Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatic cancer Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Metal fume fever Immune suppression Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Esophageal cancer Erectile dysfunction Delayed growth COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Bladder cancer Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias Adult-Onset Leukemias Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Chrysene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Dichloroethene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Dioxins | Potential Effects | - | Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism |
Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Peripheral neuropathy... Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Cataracts |
Fluoroanthene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Lead | Potential Effects | Seizures Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Peripheral neuropathy Hypertension Gout Developmental Delay Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Chronic renal disease Behavioral problems Anemia hemolytic ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Psychiatric disturbances... Preterm delivery Porphyria toxic Pancreatic cancer Nephrotic syndrome Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hearing loss Glomerulonephritis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Delayed growth Cardiomyopathy Arrhythmias Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) |
Wilm's Tumor Uterine cancer... Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Stomach cancer Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Osteoporosis Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Lung cancer Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Erectile dysfunction Diabetes Type II Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Colorectal cancer Carcinoid Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Bladder cancer Alzheimer's Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Manganese | Potential Effects | Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Cholestasis |
Psychiatric disturbances Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumonia Peripheral neuropathy Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Bronchitis acute ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity |
Skeletal malformations Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Peripheral neuropathy Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Metal fume fever Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Erectile dysfunction Delayed growth COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Arrhythmias |
Mercury | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy Hearing loss... Behavioral problems Acute tubular necrosis |
Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression... Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) Glomerulonephritis Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Congenital malformations general Chronic renal disease Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Aplastic anemia Anemia hemolytic |
Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Scleroderma... Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome) Nephrotic syndrome Myocardial ischemia Menstrual disorders Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
Methylene chloride | Potential Effects | Myocardial ischemia Arrhythmias |
Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth)... Brain cancer adult Arrhythmias |
Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatic cancer... Lung cancer Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Breast cancer |
Nickel | Potential Effects | Asthma allergic |
Stomach cancer Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation Laryngeal cancer Immune suppression |
Soft tissue sarcoma Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer Myocardial ischemia Myelodysplastic syndrome Metal fume fever Mesothelioma Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Arrhythmias |
Tetrachloroethene (PERC) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
Tetrachloroethylene | Potential Effects | - | Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Pulmonary edema Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Esophageal cancer Arrhythmias |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Raynaud's phenomenon Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatic cancer Lung cancer Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Color vision disturbance Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Cervical cancer Breast cancer Bladder cancer Adult-Onset Leukemias Acute tubular necrosis |
Thallium | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy |
Alopecia |
Psychiatric disturbances Menstrual disorders |
Trichloroethanes | Potential Effects | - | - | Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) |
Trichloroethylene (TCE) | Potential Effects | Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Psychiatric disturbances Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Cirrhosis Childhood Leukemias Cardiac congenital malformations Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias |
Trigeminal neuropathy Testicular cancer... Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Raynaud's phenomenon Prostate cancer Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatitis Pancreatic cancer Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate) Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Nephrotic syndrome Multiple myeloma Lung cancer Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Immune suppression Hodgkin's Disease (lymphoma) Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias) Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Choanal atresia Cervical cancer Brain cancer adult Adult-Onset Leukemias ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity Acute tubular necrosis |
Vanadium | Potential Effects | COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Bronchitis chronic... Asthma allergic |
Acute tubular necrosis |
Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Pneumonia... Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bronchitis acute |
Zinc | Potential Effects | Skin ulceration |
- | Testicular cancer |
If you were stationed at Allegany Ballistics Laboratory and later experienced adverse health effects, you may be eligible for compensation.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.