Atsugi Naval Air Facility Incinerator (Japan)
What NAF Atsugi incinerator, Japan is
- Dioxins, furans, PCBs, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and particulate matter from continuous open-stack incineration of mixed waste.
- U.S. Navy-commissioned health risk assessments confirmed elevated exposure for residents of NAF Atsugi housing closest to the facility.
- Litigation by U.S. military families led to the eventual shutdown of the Shinkampo complex in 2001.
Who was exposed
- U.S. Navy and Marine Corps personnel assigned to NAF Atsugi during the operational window.
- Family members residing in NAF Atsugi housing during the same window.
- DoD civilians and contractors stationed at NAF Atsugi.
Recognized conditions & VA framework
- No statutory presumptive list exists for Atsugi as of this update.
- Conditions commonly claimed: respiratory disease, asthma, sinus disease, certain cancers (including soft-tissue sarcoma and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma associated with dioxin exposure), reproductive and developmental conditions, and chronic skin disease.
Evidence to gather
- Service or housing records placing the at NAF Atsugi during incinerator operations.
- Treating-provider records diagnosing the claimed condition.
- opinion linking the condition to Atsugi incinerator emissions, ideally citing the Navy risk assessments.
- Buddy and family statements describing odor, soot, and respiratory symptoms during the assignment.
Claim path
- File as a direct service-connection citing the Shinkampo incinerator exposure window.
- Attach orders and a opinion.
- If denied, consider or with the Navy risk assessment documents as new and relevant evidence.
Where these claims break down
- ×Filing under the PACT Act — Atsugi is not a PACT-listed location.
- ×Submitting only the diagnosis without an exposure-specific nexus opinion.
- ×Failing to document housing assignment near the facility.
Frequently Asked Questions
Useful Tools & Topics
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