Likely carcinogen found at US nuclear missile base where cancers have been reported

by Lauren Sforza - 08/08/23 11:28 AM ET

FILE - In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Airman 1st Class Jackson Ligon, left, and Senior Airman Jonathan Marinaccio, 341st Missile Maintenance Squadron technicians, connect a re-entry system to a spacer on an intercontinental ballistic missile during a Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman test Sept. 22, 2020, at a launch facility near Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont. The Air Force says a review of a Montana nuclear missile base where an unusual number of troops have reported being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma has found no immediate risk factors. The same was true at two other bases that could launch ground-based warheads, the service said in a report obtained by the Associated Press. (Senior Airman Daniel Brosam/U.S. Air Force via AP, File) — FILE – In this image provided by the U.S. Air Force, Airman 1st Class Jackson Ligon, left, and Senior Airman Jonathan Marinaccio, 341st Missile Maintenance Squadron technicians, connect a re-entry system to a spacer on an intercontinental ballistic missile during a Simulated Electronic Launch-Minuteman test Sept. 22, 2020, at a launch facility near Malmstrom Air Force Base in Great Falls, Mont. The Air Force says a review of a Montana nuclear missile base where an unusual number of troops have reported being diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has found no immediate risk factors. The same was true at two other bases that could launch ground-based warheads, the service said in a report obtained by the Associated Press. (Senior Airman Daniel Brosam/U.S. Air Force via AP, File)

The Air Force revealed Monday that likely carcinogens have been found at a U.S. nuclear missile base in Montana, where high numbers of people have been diagnosed with cancer.

A team of experts found that levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) at two facilities at the Malmstrom Air Force Base in Montana were above thresholds recommended by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). According to the agency, PCBs are “man-made organic chemicals consisting of carbon, hydrogen and chlorine atoms” that it has labeled as likely carcinogens.

The military has ordered an “immediate” cleanup of the chemicals.

“Based on the initial results from the survey team, which discovered PCB levels above the cleanup threshold designated by law in two of our facilities, I directed Twentieth Air Force to take immediate measures to begin the cleanup process for the affected facilities and mitigate exposure by our Airmen and Guardians to potentially hazardous conditions,” Gen. Thomas Bussiere, commander of Air Force Global Strike Command, said in statement.

“These measures will stay in place until I am satisfied that we are providing our missile community with a safe and clean work environment,” he added.

The military began looking into possible carcinogens at the Montana base back in January after nine military officers who had worked there decades ago reported that they were diagnosed with blood cancer. Since January, more than 30 other blood cancer cases at Malmstrom and other bases have also been made public.

The team of bioenvironmental experts took water, soil, air and surface samples between June 22 and June 29 from each of the launch facilities. Out of the 300 surface swipe samples, 21 came back with detectable levels of PCBs, including two that were above the EPA’s mitigation level.

No levels were detected in the 30 air samples, and the Air Force noted that it is still waiting on air and surface samples taken from F.E. Warren Air Force Base, Wyo., and Minot Air Force Base, N.D. It is also waiting on results from all water and soil samples taken from the three bases.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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Tags Cancer