There are several types of biological and radiological contaminants that may be found in drinking water. Some of them come from man-made sources, such as nuclear power plants and some medical facilities. If they are stored improperly, they can seep into the groundwater.
Dry cleaning solvents
Dry cleaning solvents are one of the most common types of contamination in waterways. Affected sites must be cleaned up to a level that is protective for the groundwater and the land that is used for dry cleaning. The level must be determined based on the current and reasonably expected uses of the land and water.
Risk Based Concentration
For each chemical, the DEQ has published Risk-Based Concentrations (RBCs). The DEQ has funds to reimburse dry cleaning companies for the cost of cleaning up contaminated sites.
Drying Cleaning
The drying cleaning solvents can travel short distances in the water and affect homes and businesses in the area. In addition to contaminating groundwater, the chemicals in dry cleaning solvents can also contaminate drinking water. These chemicals are harmful for the environment and pose serious health risks to consumers and workers.
History
Dry cleaners use chlorinated and Stoddard solvents to clean fabrics. Since the 1960s, tetrachloroethylene (PERC) has been the most common solvent. PERC is a persistent solvent that does not degrade easily and can persist for decades after the dry cleaner closes its doors.
Types of Water
This type of water contamination is usually caused by an outside dry-cleaning establishment. These facilities used hazardous solvents like perchloroethylene, which is a known carcinogen. TCE is also used in paints, varnishes, and adhesives. It has been shown to increase the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.
Animal waste
Animal feeding operations can contribute to the pollution of ground and surface water. This pollution can affect both humans and the environment. In addition to the environmental impact, animal waste can also cause health problems. There are several ways to combat this problem, including improved attenuation, reducing spills and benchmarking against best management practices.
Claims
Veteran’s Affairs may have denied your disability benefits claim or you may be having difficulty connecting your illness to exposure to contaminated Camp Lejeune water. Dolman Law Group can offer a variety of resources at our disposal to assist you in gathering new evidence to strengthen an appeal or new claim.
Lawyer Experience
Our lawyers also have years of experience providing our clients with award-winning legal advice that can mean the difference between the success and failure of your claim. Dolman Law Group offers free consultations to those curious about how we can assist you with getting you compensation for Camp Lejeune water contamination-related disabilities through a VA benefits claim.
Contact Us
To contact us about your case you can either call our office at 866-932-3641 or fill out our online contact form.He Sources of Camp Lejeune Water Contamination
The contamination of the well water systems at Camp Lejeune actually came from not one but several sources.
Found
It is believed that many of these chemicals found their way into the well water due to leaking underground storage tanks, improper disposal, and industrial area spills. One well was actually contaminated because of a local dry cleaner’s harmful chemical disposal practices.
Dry Cleaning
An off-base dry cleaner named ABC One-Hour Cleaners improperly disposed of perchloroethylene (PCE) which is considered toxic to humans at even very low concentrations. The volatile organic compounds (VOCs) found in the well water at Camp Lejeune were numerous and almost all significantly increased the risk of developing a variety of types of cancer.
Harmful Measured
The following make up some of the most harmful carcinogens that were found in the Camp Lejeune wells.PCE is a toxic chemical regularly used in dry cleaners all across the country that needs to be properly disposed of otherwise it risks seeping into the water table.
Safe Measurement
This chemical was actually measured at levels 43 times those considered safe for drinking water on Camp Lejeune. Even a small amount of PCE exposure has been found to have very serious negative health effects such as birth defects in cases of exposure among pregnant women and a highly increased risk of liver cancer, kidney cancer, and leukemia.
