NATO paint poisons ‘Defence’ Department workers

This video says about itself:

Hexavalent Chromium & Your Health

4 October 2012

Hexavalent chromium (chromium VI) is a toxic form of the element chromium. Hexavalent chromium compounds are man-made and widely used in many different industries.

Some workers exposed to hexavalent chromium can become allergic to it. For those individuals, inhaling chromate compounds can cause asthma symptoms such as wheezing and shortness of breath. People can also develop an allergic skin reaction, called allergic contact dermatitis. This occurs from handling liquids or solids containing the material. Direct skin contact with hexavalent chromium can also cause a non-allergic skin irritation. Contact with non-intact skin can lead to chrome ulcers.

Translated from NOS TV in the Netherlands:

Much more toxic paint in defense

Update: Wednesday Sep 10 2014, 16:29

Employees of the [Dutch so-called] Defence Department are much more widely exposed to the carcinogen chromium-6 than was hitherto known. NOS has reports showing this.

Minister of Defence Hennis is now investigating only five NATO workshops where people have become ill because of their work with paint containing chromium-6. Nearly 200 employees have health problems. The reports show that at least at ten other places people are exposed to high concentrations.

The military trade union VBM is demanding a much broader investigation into working with the chromate paint.

The Dutch ‘Defence’ Department knew about the toxic paint ever since at least sixteen years ago, but did not stop it.