Base Background
Beginning operation in 1942, the Anniston Army Depot is located in northeast Alabama. While the location originated as a storage facility, it has since become a manufacturing and maintenance center. The main function of the facility is the production and maintenance of ground combat vehicles. Military employees also maintain small arms, weapons, and land combat missiles at this location. The facility stores a portion of the U.S. military’s stockpile of chemical weapons.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the toxins associated with this military location and the potential effects of exposure.*
| Toxin | Potential Effects | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Asbestos | Potential Effects | Pulmonary fibrosis, Pneumoconiosis, Pleural disease (effusions,plaques,thickening), Asbestosis | Stomach cancer, Renal (kidney) cancer, Immune suppression, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA | Ovarian cancer, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Multiple myeloma, Melanoma, Lymphoma non Hodgkin's, Laryngeal cancer, Colorectal cancer, Bladder cancer, Adult-Onset Leukemias |
| Chromium | Potential Effects | Skin ulceration, Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer, Nasal septal perforation, Nasal polyps, Bronchitis acute, Asthma allergic | Stomach cancer, Pulmonary fibrosis, Photosensitivity, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Chronic renal disease, Brain cancer adult, Acute tubular necrosis | Soft tissue sarcoma, Renal (kidney) cancer, Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility), Prostate cancer, Pancreatic cancer, Immune suppression, Esophageal cancer, Bladder cancer, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Adult-Onset Leukemias, Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Creosote | Potential Effects | - | Lymphoma non Hodgkin's | Hodgkin's Disease (lymphoma) |
| Cyanide | Potential Effects | Seizures, Myocardial ischemia, Arrhythmias | Peripheral neuropathy | - |
| 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, Nephrotic syndrome, 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), Hearing loss, Glomerulonephritis, Delayed growth, Cardiomyopathy, Arrhythmias, Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) | Wilm's Tumor, Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Stomach cancer, Osteoporosis, Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome), Lung cancer, Erectile dysfunction, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Carcinoid, Brain cancer adult, Bladder cancer, Alzheimer's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) |
| Pesticides/Insecticides | Potential Effects | Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Contact dermatitis Irritant, Contact dermatitis Allergic | Testicular cancer, Renal (kidney) cancer, Porphyria toxic, Photosensitivity, Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Multiple myeloma, Childhood Leukemias, Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma | Wilm's Tumor, Vasculitis, Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Thyroid cancer, Thrombocytopenic purpura, Soft tissue sarcoma, Rheumatoid arthritis, Retinoblastoma, Pneumonia, Melanoma, Laryngeal cancer, Esophageal cancer, Congenital malformations general, Cirrhosis, Cervical cancer, Bronchitis chronic, Bronchitis acute, Alzheimer's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) |
| Petroleum hydrocarbons | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Phenols | Potential Effects | - | Asthma allergic | - |
| Solvents (misc.) | Potential Effects | Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Contact dermatitis Irritant | Lung cancer | Vasculitis, Seizures, Rheumatoid arthritis, Multiple Sclerosis |
Additional chemicals found at this site include herbicides, chlorinated hydrocarbons, acids, and chelating agents.
If you worked at the Anniston Army Depot, you may be eligible for compensation for medical conditions associated with toxic exposure.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
