Camp Lejeune Background

U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune was established near the city of Jacksonville, N.C, in 1942. In 1982, the Marine Corps discovered volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in several drinking water wells that fed into two of the eight water systems on-base.

Leaking underground storage tanks, spills and drum disposal caused contamination. Contamination was also caused by solvent-disposal practices at ABC One-Hour Cleaners.

The Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) has been assessing the effects of exposure to drinking water containing VOCs since 1993. ATSDR activities include a 1997 Public Health Assessment, the 1998 Study on Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and a telephone interview of parents of children who were carried or conceived at Camp Lejeune during 1968-1985. In addition, the upcoming study, titled "Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water and Specific Birth Defects and Childhood Cancers at United States Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina," will begin in Spring 2005.

ATSDR is a federal public health agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services whose mission is to serve the public by using the best science, taking responsive public health actions, and providing trusted health information to prevent harmful exposures and disease related to toxic substances.

Update on ATSDR Current Activities
ATSDR is now ready to conduct a study to try to determine whether children exposed in utero any time from 1968 through 1985 to VOC-contaminated drinking water at Camp Lejeune had specified health effects. This study will begin in the Spring of 2005 and is titled, Exposure to Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water and Specific Birth Defects and Childhood Cancers, United States Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina.

Survey of Childhood Cancers and Birth Defects at USMC Camp Lejeune (1999-2002)
Summary of the 1999-2002 telephone interview of parents of children born to mothers who were pregnant while living on base between the years 1968-1985. The survey identified 103 cases of specified childhood cancers and birth defects, suggesting the need to further study whether exposure to contaminated drinking water on base during that time was associated with the illnesses or conditions.

1998 Study on Volatile Organic Compounds in Drinking Water and Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes
ATSDR completed a study at Camp Lejeune in 1998. That study found a link between babies exposed in the womb to drinking water contaminated with volatile organic compounds and cases of infants born weighing less than the 10th percentile. Even so, whether volatile organic compounds in drinking water trigger this and other problems remains unclear.

Past Exposure to VOC-Contaminated Drinking Water at U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune
NEW! This new material clarifies information previously presented in the1997 Public Health Assessment.

1997 Public Health Assessment of Camp Lejeune
ATSDR released a public health assessment of the base in 1997. The public health assessment found that exposure to volatile organic compounds at Camp Lejeune probably would not cause health problems in adults. It also said that further study was needed because other research on volatile organic compounds suggests that ill-health effects are possible for persons exposed while still in the womb.

The USMC Camp Lejeune Web Site
Site created by the U.S. Marine Corps devoted to the Camp Lejeune drinking water investigation.