Burn Pit Exposure
VA Terminology Definition
Plain English Definition
Exposure to toxic smoke from open-air burn pits used to dispose of waste at military bases, especially in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Why This Matters
Burn pits burned everything from chemicals to medical waste to plastics. Veterans exposed to burn pit smoke may develop respiratory conditions, cancers, and other illnesses now covered under the PACT Act.
Example
You served at Joint Base Balad from 2006-2007 where a massive burn pit operated 24/7. You now have chronic sinusitis and constrictive bronchiolitis, both presumptive conditions under the PACT Act.