	Background

Burn pits—shallow excavations or surface features with berms used to  conduct open-air burning—were often chosen as a method of waste  disposal during recent contingency operations in the CENTCOM area of  responsibility, which extends from the Middle East to Central Asia and  includes Iraq and Afghanistan. Although burn pits help base commanders to manage waste, they also  produce smoke and emissions that military and other health professionals  believe may result in acute and chronic health effects for those exposed. DOD Had Not Fully Assessed the Health Risks of Burn Pits

In our 2016 report, we found that the effects from exposing individuals to  burn pit emissions were not well understood, and DOD had not fully  assessed these health risks. Under DOD Instruction 6055.01, DOD  Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Program, it is DOD policy to apply  risk-management strategies to eliminate occupational injury or illness and  loss of mission capability or resources. DOD Instruction 6055.01 also  instructs all DOD components to establish procedures to ensure that risk- acceptance decisions were documented, archived, and reevaluated on a  recurring basis. Furthermore, DOD Instruction 6055.05, Occupational  and Environmental Health (OEH), requires that hazards be identified and  risk evaluated as early as possible, including the consideration of  exposure patterns, duration, and rates. Notwithstanding this guidance,  which applies to burn pit emissions among other health hazards, DOD  had not fully assessed the health risks of use of burn pits according to  DOD officials. According to DOD officials, DOD’s ability to assess these risks was  limited by a lack of adequate information on (1) the levels of exposure to  burn pit emissions and (2) the health impacts these exposures had on  individuals. With respect to information on exposure levels, DOD had not  collected data from emissions or monitored exposures from burn pits as  required by its own guidance. As we  reported in September 2016, given the potential use of burn pits near  installations and their potential use in future contingency operations,  establishing processes to monitor burn pit emissions for unacceptable  exposures would better position DOD and combatant commanders to  collect data that could help assess exposure to risks. Phase 2 was  focused on the assessment of the effectiveness of the actions taken by  the Department of Veterans Affairs and DOD and provided  recommendations for improving the methods enacted. As we reported in September  2016, considering the results of this review as well as the methodology of  the 2011 Institute of Medicine study as part of an examination of the  relationship between direct, individual exposure to burn pit emissions and  long-term health effects could better position DOD to fully assess those  health risks. In our September 2016 report we recommended that the Secretary of  Defense direct the Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition,  Technology, and Logistics to:  take steps to ensure CENTCOM and other geographic combatant  commands, as appropriate, establish processes to consistently  monitor burn pit emissions for unacceptable exposures; and  in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, specifically  examine the relationship between direct, individual, burn pit exposure  and potential long-term health-related issues. In a May 2018 status  update regarding this recommendation, the department stated that DOD  and the Department of Veterans Affairs continue to collaborate with each  other and other entities on research activities that address burn pit and  other airborne exposures, and potential long-term health outcomes.
Why GAO Did This Study

Burn pits help base commanders manage waste generated by U.S. forces overseas, but they also produce harmful emissions that military and other health professionals believe may result in chronic health effects for those exposed.
This statement provides information on the extent to which DOD has assessed any health risks of burn pit use.
This statement is based on a GAO report issued in September 2016 (GAO-16-781). The report was conducted in response to section 313 of the Carl Levin and Howard P. “Buck” McKeon National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2015. Specifically, GAO assessed the methodology DOD used in conducting a review of the compliance of the military departments and combatant commands with DOD instructions governing the use of burn pits in contingency operations and the adequacy of a DOD report for the defense committees. GAO also obtained updates from DOD on actions taken to assess health risks from burn pits since September 2016.

What GAO Found

GAO reported in September 2016 that the effects from exposing individuals to burn pit emissions were not well understood, and the Department of Defense (DOD) had not fully assessed the health risks associated with the use of burn pits. Burn pits—shallow excavations or surface features with berms used to conduct open-air burning—were often chosen as a method of waste disposal during recent contingency operations in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, which extends from the Middle East to Central Asia and includes Iraq and Afghanistan. According to DOD Instruction 6055.01, DOD Safety and Occupational Health (SOH) Program , DOD should apply risk-management strategies to eliminate occupational injury or illness and loss of mission capability or resources. The instruction also requires all DOD components to establish procedures to ensure that risk-acceptance decisions were documented, archived, and reevaluated on a recurring basis. Furthermore, DOD Instruction 6055.05, Occupational and Environmental Health (OEH), requires that hazards be identified and risk evaluated as early as possible, including the consideration of exposure patterns, duration, and rates.
While DOD has guidance that applies to burn pit emissions among other health hazards, DOD had not fully assessed the health risks of use of burn pits, according to DOD officials.
According to DOD officials, DOD's ability to assess these risks was limited by a lack of adequate information on (1) the levels of exposure to burn pit emissions and (2) the health impacts these exposures had on individuals. With respect to information on exposure levels, DOD had not collected data from emissions or monitored exposures from burn pits as required by its own guidance. Given the potential use of burn pits near installations and during future contingency operations, establishing processes to monitor burn pit emissions for unacceptable exposures would better position DOD and combatant commanders to collect data that could help assess exposure to risks.
GAO recommended that the Secretary of Defense (1) take steps to ensure CENTCOM and other geographic combatant commands, as appropriate, establish processes to consistently monitor burn pit emissions for unacceptable exposures; and (2) in coordination with the Secretary of Veterans Affairs, specifically examine the relationship between direct, individual, burn pit exposure and potential long-term health-related issues. DOD concurred with the first recommendation and partially concurred with the second. In a May 2018 status update regarding these recommendations, DOD outlined a series of steps it had implemented as well as steps that it intends to implement. The department believes these efforts will further enhance its ability to better monitor burn-pit emissions and examine the relationship between direct, individual, burn pit exposure and potential long-term health related issues. GAO believes the steps DOD is taking are appropriate.

What GAO Recommends

GAO made two recommendations focused on improving monitoring of burn pit emissions and examining any associated health effects related to burn pit exposure. DOD concurred with one recommendation and partially concurred with the other. GAO continues to believe the recommendations are valid.