Until 1970, the United States disposed of an estimated 17,000 tons of unused chemical weapons from World War I and II by dumping them off the Atlantic Ocean coast. This decision is now causing issues for commercial fishing operations.
A recent article in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report by New Jersey health officials and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that from 2016 to 2023, there have been at least three incidents of commercial fishing crews encountering hazardous chemical warfare munitions (CWMs) off the New Jersey coast.
These incidents led to at least six crew members being exposed to mustard agent, a substance known to cause severe chemical burns on skin and mucous membranes. One crew member needed emergency care for respiratory distress and second-degree burns, while another suffered burns so severe that hospitalization in a burn center for skin grafting and physical therapy was necessary.
The health officials warn, “Recovered CWMs continue to pose worker and food safety risks. Due to ocean drift, storms, and offshore industries, the locations of sea-disposed CWMs remain largely unknown and potentially far from their original disposal sites.”
This is not the first such report in the MMWR. In 2013, federal health officials documented three similar incidents in the mid-Atlantic. Clam fishermen in Delaware Bay reported frequently recovering munitions with a 'garlic-like' odor, suggesting the presence of chemical agents.
The newly reported incidents include one in 2016 near Atlantic City, where a munition was discovered during clam dredging. Although a crew member quickly discarded it, he later suffered arm burns requiring skin grafts. Additionally, a delay in reporting this event allowed contaminated clams to enter production, resulting in a recall of 192 cases of clam chowder and the destruction of 704 cases of clams.