Base Background
Fort George G. Meade was established as an Army base in 1917. This location was a main training site during World War I and II, and hundreds of thousands of soldiers passed through the base during the conflicts. During the Cold War, the military transferred the consolidated First and Second U.S. Army Headquarters to Fort Meade. In 1990, the Army Reserve and National Guard used the base to prepare for Operation Desert Shield. Over 50 units and tenants are present on the base today.
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 | ||
| Atrazine | Potential Effects | - | Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) | Skeletal malformations, Lymphoma non Hodgkin's, Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens), Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias), Cardiac congenital malformations, Brain cancer adult, Adult-Onset Leukemias |
| Perchloroethylene (PCE) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| 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) |
| 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 |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | Potential Effects | Rhinitis irritant | - | - |
If you were stationed on Fort Meade 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.
