Concord Naval Weapons Station
Base Background
Location
5110, Port Chicago Highway, Concord, California, 94520, United States
Years of Operation
1942-2007
The Concord Naval Weapons Station first opened in 1942 as an annex to the Mare Island Naval Shipyard and Mare Island magazine. During World War II, the base stored and supplied ships for the war effort. The station then had a role in shipping ammunition across the Pacific during the Korean, Vietnam, and Gulf Wars.
This station is well known for the Port Chicago Disaster, which occurred in 1944. During this incident, an explosive detonated and killed 320 people. Over 200 of these individuals were African American sailors. This incident is known as the largest stateside disaster of World War II.
Known Toxins
The following chart outlines the medical conditions associated with toxic exposure at this base, classified by the strength of evidence required (strong, good or limited).* Please keep in mind that it is not a complete list.
| Toxin | Potential Effects | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strong | Good | Limited | ||
| Aluminium | Potential Effects | Lung cancer, Bronchitis chronic | Spasticity/Myoclonus, Seizures, Pneumonitis hypersensitivity, Dementia, Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium, Asthma allergic | Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary fibrosis, Pulmonary edema, Porphyria toxic, Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Alzheimer's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Arsenic | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy, Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation, Diabetes Type II, Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis | Steatosis (fatty liver), Skeletal malformations, Renal (kidney) cancer, Raynaud's phenomenon, Pneumonitis hypersensitivity, Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Nasal septal perforation, Myocardial ischemia, Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Hypertension, Hepatoportal Sclerosis, Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth), Congenital malformations general, Cirrhosis, Cardiomyopathy, Bladder cancer, Arrhythmias, Anemia hemolytic, Alopecia, Adult-Onset Leukemias | Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome), Myelodysplastic syndrome, Metal fume fever, Immune suppression, Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer), Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias), Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Acute tubular necrosis |
| Benzo A Pyrene | Potential Effects | Lung cancer | Skin cancer (nonmelanoma), Lung cancer, Immune suppression, Bladder cancer | Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility) |
| Cadmium | Potential Effects | Renal stones, Osteoporosis, Itaiitai disease, Chronic renal disease, Acute tubular necrosis | Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility), Prostate cancer, Pneumonia, Nephrotic syndrome, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cardiomyopathy, Anemia hemolytic | Testicular cancer, Soft tissue sarcoma, Renal (kidney) cancer, Pulmonary fibrosis, Pulmonary edema, Peripheral neuropathy, Pancreatic cancer, Oral clefts (cleft lip and palate), Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Metal fume fever, Menstrual disorders, Immune suppression, Hypoactivity, Hypertension, Genitourinary malformations (includes cryptorchidism, hypospadias), Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Brain cancer adult, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Arrhythmias, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Chlorinated Solvents | Potential Effects | - | Childhood Leukemias, Adult-Onset Leukemias | - |
| Chromium | Potential Effects | Skin ulceration, Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Nasopharyngeal/SinoNasal cancer, Nasal septal perforation, Nasal polyps, Cholestasis, Bronchitis acute, Asthma allergic | Stomach cancer, Pulmonary fibrosis, Psychiatric disturbances, Pneumonitis hypersensitivity, Pneumonia, Photosensitivity, Peripheral neuropathy, Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Chronic renal disease, Bronchitis acute, Brain cancer adult, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, Acute tubular necrosis | Soft tissue sarcoma, Skeletal malformations, Renal (kidney) cancer, Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility), Prostate cancer, Peripheral neuropathy, Pancreatic cancer, Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome), Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Metal fume fever, Immune suppression, Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth), Esophageal cancer, Erectile dysfunction, Delayed growth, COPD chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Bladder cancer, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Arrhythmias, Adult-Onset Leukemias, Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Copper | Potential Effects | - | Nasal septal perforation, Metal fume fever, Lung cancer, Granulomatous disease (liver), Decreased vision (includes blindness, retinopathy, optic neuropathy), Chronic renal disease, Angiosarcoma (hepatic), Anemia hemolytic | Sarcoidosis, Pulmonary fibrosis, Neural tube defects/CNS malformations, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Immune suppression, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Acute tubular necrosis |
| Dibenzo (A,H) anthracene | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Lead | Potential Effects | Seizures, Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility), Peripheral neuropathy, Hypertension, Gout, Developmental Delay, Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation, Decreased Coordination/ Dysequilibrium, Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Chronic renal disease, Behavioral problems, Anemia hemolytic, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity, Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) | Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility), Psychiatric disturbances, Preterm delivery, Porphyria toxic, Pancreatic cancer, Nephrotic syndrome, Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Immune suppression, Hearing loss, Glomerulonephritis, Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth), Delayed growth, Cardiomyopathy, Arrhythmias, Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty) | Wilm's Tumor, Uterine cancer, Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Stomach cancer, Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility), Osteoporosis, Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome), Lung cancer, Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer), Erectile dysfunction, Diabetes Type II, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Colorectal cancer, Carcinoid, Breast cancer, Brain cancer adult, Bladder cancer, Alzheimer's, Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty), ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease), Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) |
| Mercury | Potential Effects | Peripheral neuropathy, Hearing loss, Behavioral problems, Acute tubular necrosis | Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Immune suppression, Hormonal changes (levels of circulating sex hormones FSH/LH, Inhibin, and/or estrogens, progesterones, and androgens), Glomerulonephritis, Fetotoxicity (Miscarriage/spontaneous abortion; stillbirth), Congenital malformations general, Chronic renal disease, Autoimmune antibodies, positive ANA, Aplastic anemia, Anemia hemolytic | Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Scleroderma, Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility), Reduced Fertility Male (infertility and subfertility), Neurosthenia (Organic affective syndrome), Nephrotic syndrome, Myocardial ischemia, Menstrual disorders, Coronary artery disease, peripheral vascular disease, atherosclerosis |
| Pesticides/Insecticides | Potential Effects | Multiple Chemical Sensitivity, Contact dermatitis Irritant, Contact dermatitis Allergic | Testicular cancer, Renal (kidney) cancer, Porphyria toxic, Photosensitivity, Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Myelodysplastic syndrome, Multiple myeloma, Childhood Leukemias, Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma | Wilm's Tumor, Vasculitis, Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Thyroid cancer, Thrombocytopenic purpura, Soft tissue sarcoma, Rheumatoid arthritis, Retinoblastoma, Pneumonia, Melanoma, Laryngeal cancer, Esophageal cancer, Congenital malformations general, Cirrhosis, Cervical cancer, Bronchitis chronic, Bronchitis acute, Alzheimer's, ALS (Lou Gehrig's disease) |
| Polychlorinated Byphenyls (PCBs) | Potential Effects | Thyroid disorders Hypothyroidism, Porphyria toxic, Developmental Delay, Decreased I.Q../Mental retardation, Cirrhosis, Chloracne, Behavioral problems, ADD/ADHD, hyperactivity | Peripheral neuropathy, Pancreatic cancer, Menstrual disorders, Lymphoma non Hodgkin's, Low birth weight/Small for Gestational Age, Immune suppression, Hepatocellular cancer (Liver cancer), Dyslipidemia, hypercholesterolemia, Delayed growth, Congenital malformation Cranio Facial, Cognitive impairment (includes impaired learning, impaired memory, and decreased attention span), Bronchitis chronic, Acute hepatocellular injury (Hepatitis), Abnormal sperm (morphology, motility, and sperm count) | Testicular cancer, Reduced Fertility Female (infertility and subfertility), Parkinson's disease/Movement disorders, Hypoactivity, Hypertension, Hyperkeratosis/Hyperpigmentation, Hearing loss, Endometriosis, Diabetes Type I, Breast cancer, Bone cancer/Ewings sarcoma, Altered time to sexual maturation (accelerated or delayed puberty), Altered sex ratio |
| Selenium | Potential Effects | - | - | Pulmonary edema, Cirrhosis, Alopecia |
| Semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) | Potential Effects | - | - | - |
| Zinc | Potential Effects | Skin ulceration | - | Testicular cancer |
If you were stationed or worked at the Concord Naval Weapons Station and are experiencing adverse health effects, you may be eligible for compensation.
*Effects are according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention’s Agency for Toxic Substances & Disease Registry unless otherwise noted.