West Virginia Ordnance Works
Base Background
Location
6182, Ohio River Road, Point Pleasant, West Virginia, 25550, United States
Years of Operation
1942-1945
The West Virginia Ordnance Works was a TNT production site that operated from 1942 to 1945. This 8,323-acre location became an EPA Superfund site during the early 80’s and has undergone site remediation. The state, county, companies, and individuals currently own the land.
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 | ||
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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) |
| Trinitrobenzene/Dinitrotoluene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Trinitrotoluene (TNT) | Potential Effects | Cirrhosis, Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis) | Steatosis (fatty liver), Methemoglobinemia, Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis, Aplastic anemia | Menstrual disorders, Erectile dysfunction, Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
If you were stationed at the West Virginia Ordnance Works site 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.