A U.S. soldier observes an Afghan man digging a hole to be used as a garbage dump at the Sabloghay Camp in Zari district of Kandahar province. Did burn pits used by the military to dispose of waste including computer parts and plastic water bottles cause long-term health effects in soldiers stationed nearby? A much anticipated Institute of Medicine report , sponsored by the Department of Veterans Affairs, says there aren’t enough data to conclude a link between burn pits and long-term health consequences, but what data are available do suggest that particles in the air — whether from burn pits or other sources like industry, explosive devices or other pollutants — appear tied to soldiers’ respiratory problems. (The WSJ has the full story .) David Tollerud, chair of the IOM committee, tells the Health Blog that the military provided air samples taken from around the Balad air base in Iraq, but could only provide a certain amount of information about how many people were exposed and to what extent. A study with better data would be needed to figure

out if there is a specific connection between burn pits and health, he said. Tollerud, who also previously chaired a number of committees that examined the effects of Agent Orange and hasn’t ever been in the military, said that compared to Vietnam and the Gulf Wars, there has been “increased attention from the [Defense Department] on the potential health effects of environmental exposures.” To better figure out if burn pits are linked to long-term health consequences, some groups, like the Disabled American Veterans , say that there needs to be a registry of soldiers exposed to burn pits so their health can be monitored over time. “We have to have a way to make the connection between military service and disabling conditions, especially when it comes to toxic exposure,” John Wilson, assistant national legislative director at DAV, tells the Health Blog. “This first step by the IOM gives us that opportunity. The next critical step though is a registry.” Photo: Agence France-Press/Getty Images

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Report: Burn Pits Can’t Be Conclusively Linked to Health Consequences