Open combustion sources for which PCDDs/PCDFs may be of
concern include forest fires, agricultural burns, and waste burning.
As an example of the latter, combustion of military waste on-site at
forward operating bases (FOBs) has raised potential health concerns
for the soldiers and contractor personnel (Smith et al.,
2009; Mulrine, 2010). In the absence of incinerators, waste generated
on site is arranged in piles or rows and burned in the open.
The duration of personnel at the FOB and their proximity to the
waste burns has raised questions about the potential for exposure
to harmful pollutants. Efforts are being undertaken to quantify the