Shut down burn pits, lung association urges

[unhappycamper]

The American Lung Association called for the military to ban open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. This photo was taken at Joint Base Balad May 2, 2008.


Shut down burn pits, lung association urges
By Kelly Kennedy - Staff writer
Posted : Wednesday Jun 23, 2010 17:05:42 EDT

The American Lung Association called for the military to ban open-air burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.

The association “is deeply concerned by reports of the use of burn pits and negative effects on lung health on soldiers in both Iraq and Afghanistan,” H. James Gooden, chairman of the association’s board of directors, said during a Senate defense appropriations subcommittee hearing Wednesday.

“Emissions from burning waste contain fine particulate matter, sulfur oxides, carbon monoxide, volatile organic compounds and various irritant gases such as nitrogen oxides that can scar the lungs,” he said.

He added that burn-pit emissions contain chemicals that are known or are suspected to be carcinogens.

“We urge the (Defense Department) to immediately find alternatives to this method of waste disposal,” Gooden said.