{"id":36636,"date":"2021-03-04T21:06:42","date_gmt":"2021-03-04T21:06:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/uncategorized\/2021\/03\/04\/cancer-causing-compounds-found-at-former-us-army-heliport-in-south-korea\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T03:06:53","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T03:06:53","slug":"cancer-causing-compounds-found-at-former-us-army-heliport-in-south-korea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/armytimes\/news\/your-army\/2021\/03\/04\/cancer-causing-compounds-found-at-former-us-army-heliport-in-south-korea\/","title":{"rendered":"Cancer-causing compounds found at former US Army heliport in South Korea"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

SEOUL, South Korea \u2014 A former U.S. Army heliport and runway at Camp Walker in South Korea\u2019s southeastern city of Daegu were found by a South Korean government agency to be contaminated with cancer-causing substances, potentially exposing service members on the base and thousands of residents living nearby to the toxic substances.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Daegu Citizens\u2019 Coalition for Safety disclosed surface and groundwater contamination at the site, which the Army has given to South Korea, at a Feb. 19 press conference.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The information was based on a field survey of Camp Walker\u2019s 16.5 acres of runway and helipad conducted by the South Korean Ministry of Environment from November 2019 to March 2020. The civic group obtained the internal report after filing an official information disclosure request and revealed a few pages in its press release. The ministry confirmed the report\u2019s findings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The field survey identified soil contamination by at least eight toxic substances, including arsenic, benzene and cadmium. The highest toxicity of TPH \u2014 chemical compounds from crude oil \u2014 in soil was recorded at 8,892mg\/kg, 17.8 times the safety levels set by the South Korean authorities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAll these substances found at the base are classified as Group 1 carcinogens, which means the evidence of causing cancer is very strong,\u201d said Dr. Leem Jong-han, dean of the Inha University Graduate School of Public Health. \u201cA prolonged exposure to these carcinogens and consumption of crops grown from the contaminated soils will indisputably increase the risk of cancer or other fatal diseases.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Camp Walker\u2019s groundwater was also polluted with TPH, phenol, and PFOS\/PFOA, which could result in adverse health effects, including cancer and developmental effects to fetuses during pregnancy or to breastfed infants when exposed, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. All of the pollutants exceeded health advisory standards, with the highest TPH toxicity in water recording a whopping 9,724 times the acceptable levels.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The U.S. military has had problems with toxic contaminants at bases around the world. The Pentagon identified more than 400 active installations<\/a> in the U.S. with a known or suspected release of PFOS\/PFOA, which the military has been adding in its firefighting foam since the 1970s. A 2018 Department of Defense report also admitted water contamination at its overseas bases<\/a> in Belgium, Diego Garcia and Honduras.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe groundwater contamination is particularly alarming since the toxicants could have poisoned other water sources nearby if Camp Walker\u2019s cancer-causing substances had reached the bedrock,\u201d said Dr. Kim Jungjin, a member of the Daegu Citizens\u2019 Coalition for Safety who exposed the army base\u2019s health hazards. \u201cA comprehensive field survey of the base\u2019s neighborhood is needed to fully assess the risk.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t