Puget Sound Naval Shipyard
Bremerton, WA
Known Toxins24
Years of Operation1891-Present
Base Background
Established in 1891 as a naval station, Puget Sound Naval Shipyard was the Northwest’s first repair facility capable of handling large ships. Located adjacent to Bremerton, Washington, it played a crucial role in keeping the Navy battle-ready through both World Wars by building ships and repairing damaged vessels of the Pacific fleet. As the largest shipyard on the West Coast, it currently employs approximately 13,500 civilians.
In 2003, the shipyard consolidated with the Naval Intermediate Maintenance Facility, Pacific Northwest, creating “Puget Sound Naval Shipyard & Intermediate Maintenance Facility” (PSNS and IMF). Today, it performs work not only in Bremerton but also in Silverdale, Everett, San Diego, Yokosuka (Japan), and Guam, establishing itself as the Pacific Northwest’s largest Naval shore facility and one of Washington state’s largest industrial installations.
Bremerton Shipyard Contamination
The industrial processes at the shipyard have historically generated thousands of gallons of hazardous liquids daily: lead, mercury, PCBs, sulfur dioxide, chlorine, cyanide. Veterans and civilians who worked at the shipyard were exposed to these toxins, as well as asbestos.
The Bremerton shipyard was designated an EPA Superfund site in 1993. Subsequent investigations found that the shipyard had dumped heavy metals and toxic chemicals in 1994 and raw sewage in 2019.
PFAS Contamination
In 2020, the Navy began testing drinking water for Puget Sound residents bordering the base to determine if it was contaminated with PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances). PFAS contamination has since been confirmed at multiple military bases in the Washington area: the shipyard in Bremerton, WA, the Kitsap – Bangor naval base, Joint Base Lewis McChord, Whidbey Island Naval Air Station.
Veterans and civilians exposed to these toxins may be eligible for compensation through VA claims or lawsuits. Get a free case evaluation here 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.
| Toxin | Potential Effects | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Alpha-chlordane | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Arsenic | Potential Effects | 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 | 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 |
| Benzo A Pyrene | Potential Effects | Lung cancer |
Skin cancer (nonmelanoma) Lung cancer... Immune suppression Bladder cancer |
Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) |
| Beryllium | Potential Effects | 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 | 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) |
| Chrysene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Copper | Potential Effects | - | 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 | - | - | - |
| Dichloroethene (DCE) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Dieldrin | Potential Effects | - | 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 | - | - | - |
| Heavy metals (misc.) | Potential Effects | Pneumonitis hypersensitivity |
- | Multiple myeloma Chronic renal disease |
| Indeno pyrene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| 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) |
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 | 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 |
| Nickel | Potential Effects | 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 |
| 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 |
| Pyrene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Tetrachloroethylene | Potential Effects | - | Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility) Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility)... Pulmonary edema Menstrual disorders Lymphoma non Hodgkin's Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth) Esophageal cancer Arrhythmias |
Scleroderma Renal (kidney) cancer... Raynaud's phenomenon Peripheral neuropathy Pancreatic cancer Lung cancer Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer) Congenital malformation Cranio Facial Color vision disturbance Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span) Cervical cancer Breast cancer Bladder cancer Adult-Onset Leukemias Acute tubular necrosis |
| Total Petroleum Hydrocarbons (TPE) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPH) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | Potential Effects | Rhinitis irritant |
- | - |
| Zinc | Potential Effects | 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.
Bremerton VA Disability Claims and Lawsuits
You may be entitled to compensation if you developed medical conditions associated with the toxic exposure at the Bremerton naval shipyard. You should:
- Gather medical evidence connecting your health issues to the toxic contamination
- Obtain expert medical opinions establishing a link between your condition and the known toxins
- File a VA disability claim or pursue a lawsuit
To win your case, you may need assistance gathering and interpreting complex medical and scientific evidence, addressing denials and ensuring all deadlines are met. An experienced Washington attorney accredited by the VA can answer your legal questions, fight on your behalf and maximize compensation.
Contact our Seattle VA disability lawyers for a free evaluation of your claim. We work on a contingency basis, with no upfront fees.