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House wants burn-pit curbs in defense budget

Thirty-two members of the House of Representatives signed a letter Friday imploring the Senate to include an amendment in the final version of the 2010 defense authorization bill to restrict the military’s operation of open-air burn pits for waste disposal in the war zones.

“Hundreds of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans and service members are becoming sick and even dying from what appears to be overexposure to dangerous toxins produced by open-air burn pits used to destroy large quantities of waste,” the letter states, citing reports by Military Times. “We urge you to support this provision, which will begin protecting our service members from these dangers.”

At Joint Base Balad, the largest U.S. installation in Iraq, the burn pit sprawls over 10 acres. Most bases — even the smallest — in Iraq and Afghanistan also have burn pits. Military morbidity reports show that annual cases of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, which usually hits older smokers, have gone up by 10,000 in the military health system since 2001.

More than 400 service members have contacted Disabled American Veterans to report cancers and respiratory illnesses they believe came from burn-pit exposure since Military Times first reported the story last year.

The amendment to the 2010 defense authorization bill passed by the House would prohibit the disposal of hazardous waste in open-air burn pits for longer than 12 months during a contingency operation. It also would require the secretary of defense to submit a report on the use of burn pits and what alternatives are available.

The amendment “was strongly endorsed by the American Legion, disabled American Veterans, Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, Military Officers Association of America, National Guard Association of the United States, Veterans and Military Families for Progress, and Veterans of Foreign Wars,” the letter states. “Several of these organizations expressed concern when they learned that the provision might not be retained and have alerted their members across the country.”

Signers include Tim Bishop, D-N.Y.; Carol Shea-Porter, D-N.H.; Bob Filner, D-Calif.; and 28 other Democrats. Republican Reps. Ron Paul of Texas and Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington also are co-sponsors.

More information on burn pits can be found here.