Base Background
The U.S. Coast Guard Yard at Curtis Bay was officially established in 1905 as the Revenue Cutter Station At Curtis Bay. The initial mission of the site was to repair and construct a variety of boats and Coast Guard ships. Local officials uncovered construction debris at the site in recent years, suspending fishing and crabbing activities in the area while they conduct environmental testing.
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 | ||
| 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 |
| Heavy metals (misc.) | Potential Effects | Pneumonitis hypersensitivity | - | Multiple myeloma |
| 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) |
| Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs) | Potential Effects | Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Porphyria toxic, Developmental Delay, Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation, Cirrhosis, Chloracne, Behavioral problems, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity | Peripheral neuropathy, Pancreatic cancer, Menstrual disorders, Lymphoma non Hodgkin's, Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Immune suppression, Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer), Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, Delayed growth, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Bronchitis chronic, Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis), Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) | Testicular cancer, Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility), Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Hypoactivity, Hypertension, Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation, Hearing loss, Endometriosis, Diabetes Type I, Breast cancer, Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma, Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty), Altered sex ratio |
| Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
If you worked or were stationed at Curtis Bay Coast Guard Yard, 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.
