The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started digging this week for military junk from World War II that is buried beneath the yards of hundreds of homes in South Patrick Shores, Florida, amid concerns that the military junk could be linked to an alleged cancer cluster in the community.
According to The Independent, residents of South Patrick Shores have claimed for multiple decades that health conditions, including various forms of cancer, are potentially linked to an old military landfill in the area. The outlet noted that prior to residential homes being built in the area in the 1950s, South Patrick Shores hosted a military landfill located near the Banana River Naval Air Station, which is now the location of Patrick Space Force Base.
The Independent reported that hazardous waste, such as old ammunition, unexploded artillery, fuel, and a variety of chemicals, are believed to be buried in South Patrick Shores.
According to The Independent, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers previously scanned a section of South Patrick Shores with ground-penetrating radar in a $5.8 million search for military waste. The outlet noted that over 300 houses are located on the 52-acre section that was previously scanned by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.
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According to News 6, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers started digging for the military junk in the area this week following a county commission meeting regarding the issue last week. Brad Tompa, the leader of the project, told Brevard County commissioners, “If there is problematic soil or contaminants, then yes, it would have to be addressed.”
Tompa explained to the county commissioners that South Patrick Shores was an “uncontrolled dump” during World War II. During last week’s meeting, Brevard County Commissioner Katie Delaney asked Tompa, “Are you aware that there are residents who have dug in their own yards and that they have had massive side effects from the things that they have dug up in their yards?”
News 6 reported that Sandra Sullivan, a resident of South Patrick Shores, discovered bullets, lead, and a partial barrel of oil in her yard in 2018. “I know it’s made me sick,” Sullivan told News 6. “Every time I dug up something, between eight days and seven weeks, I would have symptoms.”
According to The Independent, a Florida Department of Health report from 2019 documented higher rates of bladder cancer and leukemia in the South Patrick Shores community than in other regions throughout the country. However, the department did not confirm the cause of the increased cancer rate.
© American Military News
