Burn pit registry
VA will establish a registry for eligible Veterans who may have been exposed to burn pits in Iraq and Afghanistan. The new registry may enhance VA’s ability to monitor the health effects of exposure.
VA is working to meet the one-year time frame for creating the registry as required by a law signed Jan. 10, 2013.
VA will announce how to sign up once the registry is available. The registry will keep Veterans informed about studies and treatments.
If you are concerned about your exposure, talk to your health care provider or local VA Environmental Health Coordinator.
Action plan guides treatment and study
Airborne hazards are substances moving through the air that pose danger or risk. The dusty, polluted environments of Iraq and Afghanistan contain many potential airborne hazards.
The high level of fine dust and pollution common in those areas may pose a greater danger for respiratory illnesses than exposure to burn pits on U.S. base camps, according to a 2011 Institute of Medicine report, Long-Term Health Consequences of Exposure to Burn Pits in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Acting on the findings and recommendations in the report, VA and the Department of Defense are working to:
- Develop a standard screening and evaluation of Servicemembers and Veterans with respiratory complaints after deployment in order to improve care
- Conduct a long-term study that will follow Veterans for decades looking at their exposures and health issues to determine the impact of deployment
Read the Feb. 4, 2013 notice in the Federal Register to learn more about VA’s strategy and action plan.
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