Naval Weapons Station Yorktown

Location
Naval Weapons Station, VA

Known Toxins
32

Years of Operation
1918-Present

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Base Background

Naval Weapons Station Yorktown (NWSY) was established in 1918 on Virginia’s Peninsula to support mine-laying operations during WWI. At the time, it was the largest naval installation in the world. Today NWSY provides explosive storage, maintenance, research and development, and logistical support services. Navy and Marines personnel also train at this base.

Toxic Exposure at Naval Weapons Station Yorktown

Past and present activities at NWSY have resulted in contamination of soil, groundwater, surface water, and sediment with metal contaminants, VOCs, CVOCs and other toxic substances. The base was added to the Superfund program’s National Priorities List (NPL) in October 1992 and remediation is still ongoing. There are currently 16 sites under active investigation.

PFAS Contamination

The Navy is currently investigating contamination with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), specifically perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS).

If you developed a medical condition related to toxic exposure after living or working at or near the station, you may be able to obtain compensation. Get a free case evaluation to explore your legal options.

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 :

ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity

ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease)

Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count)

Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis)

Acute tubular necrosis

Adult-Onset Leukemias

Alopecia

Altered sex ratio

Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty)

Alzheimer's

Anemia hemolytic

Aplastic anemia

Arrhythmias

Asthma allergic

Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA

Behavioral problems

Berylliosis

Bladder cancer

Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma

Brain cancer adult

Breast cancer

Bronchitis acute

Bronchitis chronic

COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Carcinoid

Cardiomyopathy

Chloracne

Cholestasis

Chronic renal disease

Cirrhosis

Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span)

Colorectal cancer

Congenital malformation Cranio Facial

Congenital malformations general

Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis

Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium

Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation

Delayed growth

Dementia

Developmental Delay

Diabetes Type I

Diabetes Type II

Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia

Early onset menopause

Endometriosis

Erectile dysfunction

Esophageal cancer

Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth)

Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias)

Glomerulonephritis

Gout

Granulomatous disease (liver)

Hearing loss

Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer)

Hepatoportal Sclerosis

Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens)

Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation

Hypertension

Hypoactivity

Immune suppression

Itaiitai disease

Laryngeal cancer

Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age

Lung cancer

Lymphoma non Hodgkin's

Melanoma

Menstrual disorders

Mesothelioma

Metal fume fever

Myelodysplastic syndrome

Myocardial ischemia

Nasal polyps

Nasal septal perforation

Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer

Nephrotic syndrome

Neural tube defects/CNS malformations

Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome)

Oral cancer

Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate)

Osteoporosis

Pancreatic cancer

Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders

Peripheral neuropathy

Photosensitivity

Pneumoconiosis

Pneumonia

Pneumonitis hypersensitivity

Porphyria toxic

Preterm delivery

Prostate cancer

Psychiatric disturbances

Pulmonary edema

Pulmonary fibrosis

Raynaud's phenomenon

Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)

Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility)

Renal (kidney) cancer

Renal stones

Sarcoidosis

Scleroderma

Scrotal cancer

Seizures

Skeletal malformations

Skin cancer (nonmelanoma)

Skin ulceration

Soft tissue sarcoma

Spasticity/Myoclonus

Steatosis (fatty liver)

Stomach cancer

Testicular cancer

Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism

Uterine cancer

Wilm's Tumor

Toxin	Potential Effects
Toxin	Strong	Good	Limited
1,3,5-trinitrobenzene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Aluminium	Potential Effects	Lung cancer Bronchitis chronic MoreLess	Spasticity/Myoclonus Seizures... Pneumonitis hypersensitivity Dementia Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Asthma allergic MoreLess	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) MoreLess
Anthracene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) MoreLess	- MoreLess
Antimony	Potential Effects	Bronchitis chronic MoreLess	COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Arrhythmias MoreLess	Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation... Menstrual disorders Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bladder cancer Anemia hemolytic Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) MoreLess
Arsenic	Potential Effects	Peripheral neuropathy Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation... Diabetes Type II Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis MoreLess	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 MoreLess	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 MoreLess
Benzo A Pyrene	Potential Effects	Lung cancer MoreLess	Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Lung cancer... Immune suppression Bladder cancer MoreLess	Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) MoreLess
Beryllium	Potential Effects	Skin ulceration Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumoconiosis Chronic renal disease Berylliosis MoreLess	Renal stones Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Pneumonia Nasal septal perforation Granulomatous disease (liver) Bronchitis acute MoreLess	Seizures Sarcoidosis... Mesothelioma Immune suppression Cardiomyopathy Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma MoreLess
Cadmium	Potential Effects	Renal stones Osteoporosis... Itaiitai disease Chronic renal disease Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess	Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Prostate cancer... Pneumonia Nephrotic syndrome COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Cardiomyopathy Anemia hemolytic MoreLess	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) MoreLess
Chloroethene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Chromium	Potential Effects	Skin ulceration Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Nasal septal perforation Nasal polyps Cholestasis Bronchitis acute Asthma allergic MoreLess	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 MoreLess	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) MoreLess
Chrysene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Cyanide	Potential Effects	Seizures Myocardial ischemia... Arrhythmias MoreLess	Peripheral neuropathy MoreLess	- MoreLess
Dibenzos	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Fluoroanthene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Gamma-chlordane	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Hexahydro (RDX)	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Indeno pyrene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Iron	Potential Effects	Bronchitis chronic MoreLess	- MoreLess	Soft tissue sarcoma Diabetes Type II... Brain cancer adult Alzheimer's MoreLess
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) MoreLess	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) MoreLess	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) MoreLess
Manganese	Potential Effects	Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Cholestasis MoreLess	Psychiatric disturbances Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumonia Peripheral neuropathy Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium Bronchitis acute ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity MoreLess	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 MoreLess
Mercury	Potential Effects	Peripheral neuropathy Hearing loss... Behavioral problems Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess	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 MoreLess	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 MoreLess
Nickel	Potential Effects	Asthma allergic MoreLess	Stomach cancer Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Nasal septal perforation Laryngeal cancer Immune suppression MoreLess	Soft tissue sarcoma Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer Myocardial ischemia Myelodysplastic syndrome Metal fume fever Mesothelioma Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Arrhythmias MoreLess
PFAS (Firefighting Foam)	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	Testicular cancer Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer MoreLess
Phenanthrene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs)	Potential Effects	Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism Porphyria toxic... Developmental Delay Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation Cirrhosis Chloracne Behavioral problems ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity MoreLess	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) MoreLess	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 MoreLess
Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs)	Potential Effects	Scrotal cancer Porphyria toxic... Laryngeal cancer MoreLess	Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Renal (kidney) cancer... Prostate cancer Photosensitivity Pancreatic cancer Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Lung cancer Immune suppression Esophageal cancer Breast cancer Bladder cancer MoreLess	Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) Oral cancer... Melanoma Early onset menopause Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis Colorectal cancer Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma Adult-Onset Leukemias MoreLess
Pyrene	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Silver	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	Chronic renal disease MoreLess
Tetrachloroethene (PERC)	Potential Effects	- MoreLess	- MoreLess	- MoreLess
Thallium	Potential Effects	Peripheral neuropathy MoreLess	Alopecia MoreLess	Psychiatric disturbances Menstrual disorders MoreLess
Vanadium	Potential Effects	COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Bronchitis chronic... Asthma allergic MoreLess	Acute tubular necrosis MoreLess	Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Pneumonia... Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Bronchitis acute MoreLess
Zinc	Potential Effects	Skin ulceration MoreLess	- MoreLess	Testicular cancer MoreLess

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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.

Paths to Getting Compensation

Veterans and civilians who lived or worked at or near the base may be able to receive compensation if they developed health conditions associated with toxic exposure. This would require:

Documenting the time spent at the base using service records and other documentation
Gathering comprehensive medical evidence
Obtaining expert medical opinions to establish a link between the diagnosed medical conditions and the toxic exposure
Making a VA disability claim or pursuing a lawsuit

To win your case, you will likely need legal assistance. Hill & Ponton disability lawyers serving Richmond and other areas in Virginia can fight on your behalf and maximize compensation.

For a free case evaluation, please call 1-888-477-2363. Our Virginia lawyers specialize in disability law and work on a contingency basis, with no upfront fees.