McChord Air Force Base
Location
Tacoma, WA
Tacoma, WA
Known Toxins25
Years of Operation1930-Present
Base Background
MaChord Air Force Base opened as an Army Airfield in 1930. The Army used the base during World War II and turned it over to the Air Force in 1947. Today, the base is home to the 62nd and 446th Airlift Wings. These units fly the C-17 Globemaster IIIs.
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.
Search the table for a specific disease :
| Toxin | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Antimony | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 |
| Benzene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Myelodysplastic syndrome Multiple myeloma... Aplastic anemia |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Preterm delivery Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Arrhythmias |
Peripheral neuropathy Neural tube defects/CNS malformations... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Lung cancer Immune suppression Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Cardiac congenital malformations Breast cancer Brain cancer adult Asthma irritant |
| Benzo A Pyrene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Lung cancer |
Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Lung cancer... Immune suppression Bladder cancer |
Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) |
| Cadmium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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) |
| Carbon disculfide | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Psychiatric disturbances... Peripheral neuropathy Myocardial ischemia Hypertension Hearing loss Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) |
Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Menstrual disorders... Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Erectile dysfunction Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia Decreased vision (includes blindness, retinopathy, optic neuropathy) Color vision disturbance Arrhythmias Adult-Onset Leukemias Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Preterm delivery... Nephrotic syndrome Glomerulonephritis Congenital malformations general Congenital malformation Cranio Facial |
| Chloroethene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Chrysene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Dichloroethene (DCE) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Endrin aldehyde | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Ethylbenzene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Heptachlor epoxide | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Iron | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Bronchitis chronic |
- | Soft tissue sarcoma Diabetes Type II... Brain cancer adult Alzheimer's |
| Lead | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 |
| Naphthalene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Methemoglobinemia |
Cataracts Anemia hemolytic |
- |
| Nickel | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 |
| Selenium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | Pulmonary edema Cirrhosis... Alopecia |
| Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Tetrachloroethene (PERC) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Trichloroethanes | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) |
| Trichloroethylene (TCE) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 & Strength of Evidence Needed | Rhinitis irritant |
- | - |
| Xylene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | Scleroderma Menstrual disorders... Arrhythmias |
Stomach cancer Peripheral neuropathy... Delayed growth Colorectal cancer Brain cancer adult Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) |
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*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
Veterans stationed at McChord Air Force Base who later experienced related health conditions could be eligible for VA compensation and other benefits for disabled veterans.
Hill & Ponton’s VA-accredited Washington attorneys may be able to assist you. Contact our Seattle VA lawyers for a free case evaluation.