Camp Lejeune Water Contamination

From 1953 to 1987, water supplies at the U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune in North Carolina were contaminated with industrial solvents, benzene, and other chemicals. The contamination primarily came from leaking underground storage tanks, industrial spills, and improper waste disposal practices.

An estimated one million military and civilian staff and their families were exposed to the contaminated water. Studies have linked exposure to the contaminated water to increased risk of:

• Multiple types of cancer (kidney, liver, breast, bladder, and more)
• Adverse birth outcomes, including birth defects and childhood cancers
• Neurological effects
• Miscarriages and female infertility

The contamination was discovered in 1982, but the most contaminated wells weren't closed until 1985. The military initially downplayed the issue, and it wasn't until the 2000s that the full extent of the contamination became public.

In 2012, Congress passed the Janey Ensminger Act, providing healthcare for affected veterans and their families. In 2022, the Camp Lejeune Justice Act was passed, allowing victims to file lawsuits against the government for damages.