symptoms

In last night’s State of the Union address, President Joe Biden briefly mentioned his late son Beau. Army Maj. Beau Biden was a veteran who served in the Iraq War. During Beau Biden’s service, the president noted, he spent a lot of time near toxic military burn pits. He later died from brain cancer, which the president seemed to connect to the burn pits.These military burn pits were used extensively in Iraq and Afghanistan during the post-9/11 era. A 2020 member survey by the advocacy organization Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America found that 86% of respondents were exposed to burn pits or other toxins. Here are some common questions about burn pits and the health risks they pose to veterans. What is a burn pit?A burn pit is a piece of land used by the military to incinerate heaps of garbage and other waste created. From human and medical waste to rubber and different kinds of plastics, a wide range of materials was burned in these pits. During the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, “Government contractors burned up to 227 metric tons of hazardous waste at forward operating bases using jet fuel in large ground pits,” said nonprofit Burn Pits 360. What health risks are linked to burn pits?”Irritation and burning of eyes or throat, coughing, breathing difficulties, skin itching or rashes. Many of these conditions are temporary and resolve on their own when the exposure ends. However, if you were closer to burn pit smoke or were exposed for longer periods of time, you may be at greater risk for longer-term health conditions,” said the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website. According to NPR, “the Department of Veterans Affairs still denies the vast majority of claims for respiratory illness and rare cancers.” President Biden is pursuing legislation to help veterans suffering from exposure to burn pits. Are there still burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan?Most burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan have been closed out by the Department of Defense, said the Department of Veterans Affairs. The Senate took a significant step in recent days to help former military service members suffering from toxic burn pit exposure by passing a bill to expand access to health care for post-9/11 combat veterans. The Associated Press contributed to this reporting.