Asbestos and other contaminants linked to deaths at former U.S. military base in the Philippines
For decades during the Cold War era, the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force maintained U.S. owned and operated military bases in the Philippines. In the 1990s, the United States closed these bases and gave them to the Philippine government. Local environmentalists, government officials and citizens claim the US government left pollutants such as asbestos, fuel and heavy metals on the former bases that have caused health problems for those exposed to them. Asbestos is a known carcinogen that can cause serious respiratory illnesses like mesothelioma and lung cancer.
Environmental surveys completed by the Philippines government have verified large amounts of asbestos, fuels and heavy metals in at least three sites within the former Subic Bay Navy Base. Other sites have confirmed pollutants from improperly disposed of sewage, oil and chemicals. Various attempts to have the US government fund cleanup efforts in the area have been unsuccessful.
For the full story, go to Stars and Stripes.
