Pearl Harbor Naval Complex
Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, HI
28
1908-Present
Base Background
The Pearl Harbor Naval complex was established in 1908 and includes 12,600 acres of land. The location became the home of the Pacific Fleet before World War II, and the Japanese attacked the base in 1941. Pearl Harbor continued to support the Pacific Fleet following the war. In 2010, the base merged with Hickam Air Force Base as the Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. Various contaminants were discovered in groundwater and soil, and environmental cleanup on this site is ongoing.
Toxic Exposure
If you lived or worked at or near Hickam Air Force Base or the Pearl Harbor base, you may have been exposed to the toxins below and be eligible for VA benefits. Get in touch with our VA disability lawyers for a free evaluation of your case.
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.
| Toxin | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Acetone | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | Arrhythmias |
- |
| Alpha-chlordane | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| 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 |
| Asbestos | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 |
| 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) |
| Beryllium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Skin ulceration Pneumonitis hypersensitivity... Pneumoconiosis Chronic renal disease Berylliosis |
Renal stones Pulmonary fibrosis... Pulmonary edema Pneumonia Nasal septal perforation Granulomatous disease (liver) Bronchitis acute |
Seizures Sarcoidosis... Mesothelioma Immune suppression Cardiomyopathy Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma |
| 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 |
| Chromium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Skin ulceration Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders... Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer Nasal septal perforation Nasal polyps Cholestasis Bronchitis acute Asthma allergic |
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 |
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) |
| Chrysene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Copper | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | Nasal septal perforation Metal fume fever... Lung cancer Granulomatous disease (liver) Decreased vision (includes blindness, retinopathy, optic neuropathy) Chronic renal disease Angiosarcoma (hepatic) Anemia hemolytic |
Sarcoidosis Pulmonary fibrosis... Neural tube defects/CNS malformations Myelodysplastic syndrome Immune suppression Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA Acute tubular necrosis |
| Dibenzo (A,H) anthracene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Dieldrin | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) |
Uterine cancer Thrombocytopenia... Psychiatric disturbances Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens) Colorectal cancer Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Breast cancer Adult-Onset Leukemias |
| Gamma-chlordane | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Heavy metals (misc.) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Pneumonitis hypersensitivity |
- | Multiple myeloma Chronic renal disease |
| 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) |
| Mercury | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Peripheral neuropathy Hearing loss... Behavioral problems Acute tubular necrosis |
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 |
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 |
| 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 |
| Petroleum hydrocarbons | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Methemoglobinemia |
Cataracts Anemia hemolytic |
- |
| Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | 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 |
| Pyrene | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | - |
| Selenium | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | Pulmonary edema Cirrhosis... Alopecia |
| Silver | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | - | - | Chronic renal disease |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Rhinitis irritant |
- | - |
| Zinc | Potential Effects & Strength of Evidence Needed | Skin ulceration |
- | Testicular cancer |
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.
If you were stationed at the base and experienced any of these adverse health effects but the VA has denied or underrated you, an experienced VA disability lawyer may be able to assist you in winning your case. Please contact us for a free case evaluation.