Base Background
Landfill #4 and Sludge Lagoon are two contaminated sites on Robins Air Force Base. The landfill takes up 45 acres and the lagoon comprises 1.5. An 1982 survey found that these sites had the highest potential for migration of toxic substances, particularly through groundwater and wetlands. The landfill was in operation from 1965 to 1978, and the sludge lagoon from 1962 to 1978. The EPA and the Georgia Environmental Protection Division completed cleanup at these sites in 2004, but the sites are still priorities for long term monitoring.
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 | ||
| Heavy metals (misc.) | Potential Effects | Pneumonitis hypersensitivity | - | Multiple myeloma |
| Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) | 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) |
| Polynuclear Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) | Potential Effects | Scrotal cancer, Porphyria toxic, Laryngeal cancer | Skin cancer (nonmelanoma), Renal (kidney) cancer, Prostate cancer, Photosensitivity, Pancreatic cancer, Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer, Lung cancer, Immune suppression, Esophageal cancer, Breast cancer, Bladder cancer | 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 |
| Volatile organic compounds (VOCs) | Potential Effects | Rhinitis irritant | - | - |
If you were stationed or worked at Robins Air Force Base, 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.
