Amnesty International USA filed a request under the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to seek documents related to the use of burn pits by the U.S. military. For decades, the military has used burn pits producing toxic smoke to dispose of hazardous waste on military bases around the world. More than 100,000 veterans have reported serious health effects following exposure to burn pits, including neurological disorders, rare forms of cancer, reduced lung function and pulmonary diseases.