By Pat Elder; reprinted with permission; Published for
Military Poisons email, July 1, 2026; see also: https://www.militarypoisons.org/latest-news/lead-poses-a-threat-to-human-health-at-the-fort-ord-dunes-state-park
Left - AI-generated illustration depicting a homeless
encampment on the Fort Ord coastal dunes. Right – The yellow dots show homeless
encampments. - California Department of Parks and Recreation, 2025 Annual
Report, Fort Ord Dunes State Park.
A 2025 California Department of Toxic Substances Control
(DTSC) and California State Parks Annual Report documents that significant
quantities of lead bullets remain on the surface of portions of Fort Ord Dunes
State Park nearly three decades after half-hearted remediation efforts were
completed by the Army. Quarterly inspections continue to identify huge areas
with bullet cover, while annual lead removal operations continue to recover
substantial quantities of lead from the dunes.
Buckets containing lead bullets and fragments collected
from the sand dunes at the former Fort Ord, popular with vacationers. -
California Department of Parks and Recreation 2025 Annual Report, Fort Ord
Dunes State Park
In December 2025 alone, State Parks personnel removed 106
pounds of lead bullets from Ranges 15 and 16 after identifying areas of
concentrated surface contamination during routine inspections. The report also
documents continuing homeless encampments within former firing ranges and the
construction of a new campground in portions of the historic military training
area.
These findings raise important questions regarding potential
human exposure to lead among several groups of park users, particularly
individuals who spend extended periods in the dunes.
The Magnitude of the Remaining Contamination
The Army claims that the cleanup of contamination at the
beach is complete, but they are lying to the public. Rather, it has become an
ongoing management issue for the state, requiring repeated inspections and
recurring removal activities. Surface inspections conducted throughout 2025
found concentrations of lead bullets in many of the same locations identified
during inspections conducted between 2017 and 2022. Inspectors continue to map
visible bullets, remove smaller accumulations during quarterly inspections, and
schedule larger cleanup operations where concentrations remain elevated. The
recovery of more than one hundred pounds of lead during a single cleanup event
illustrates that substantial quantities of metallic lead remain accessible at
or near the surface in portions of the former firing ranges.
Tens of thousands of soldiers trained each year for more
than 50 years. The cumulative total of bullets likely reaches into the billions
of rounds.
Unlike many former military ranges located on stable soils,
Fort Ord occupies an active coastal dune system. Sand movement driven by strong
coastal winds, winter storms, bluff erosion, and wave action continually
reshapes the landscape. The annual report itself notes continuing bluff erosion
caused by winter storms and ongoing wind erosion in portions of the park. These
natural processes can expose bullets that were previously buried beneath sand
while simultaneously burying others.
Areas appearing relatively clean during one inspection may
later contain newly exposed bullets following periods of strong winds or storm
erosion, explaining why annual inspections and repeated cleanup efforts remain
necessary decades after the initial remediation. Of course, the Army understood
this when they proclaimed a clean bill of health for the dunes many years ago.
It’s the same story in many places around the world. They just don’t give a
damn.
Potential Exposure to Campground Visitors
A new campground is being constructed under the California
Department of Toxic Substances Control, (DTSC) oversight, with environmental
monitoring during grading activities. These measures reduce, but do not
eliminate the likelihood of direct exposure within the campground itself.
Nevertheless, campground visitors are naturally drawn to explore the
surrounding dunes, particularly children and families. Individuals leaving
designated areas and entering former firing ranges may encounter visible lead
bullets or fragments exposed at the surface. Contact with contaminated sand may
result in incidental ingestion through ordinary hand-to-mouth activity, while
windblown dust generated during dry conditions may provide an additional
pathway for inhalation exposure.
Homeless Encampments
The annual report documents that law enforcement removed
homeless encampments from Range 1 during 2025. Individuals residing within
former firing ranges may experience considerably greater opportunities for lead
exposure than recreational visitors because of the duration and nature of their
activities.
Living in the dunes often requires repeated disturbance of
surface sands while constructing campsites, leveling sleeping areas, digging
fire pits, or building makeshift shelters. These activities increase direct
contact with surface soils where lead bullets remain. Windblown sand can
accumulate on bedding, clothing, food, cooking utensils, and personal
belongings, creating repeated opportunities for ingestion and inhalation.
Individuals living outdoors also spend many hours each day in direct contact with
the ground, substantially increasing cumulative exposure compared with visitors
spending only a few hours in the park.
The annual report documents the continued presence of
homeless encampments but does not discuss whether environmental lead exposure
has been evaluated among these individuals or whether any public health
assessment has been conducted.
Potential Exposure Among Hikers and Other Recreational
Users
See Monterey Magnet Man’s brilliant YouTube video. He
found 93 bullets in a few hours while metal detecting in a small area on the
Fort Ord Dunes.
Many hikers leave established paths to explore the dunes,
former bunkers, and the historic military landscape. Those entering former
firing ranges may encounter visible lead bullets or fragments resting on or
near the surface. Sitting directly on contaminated sand, allowing children to
play in affected areas, handling bullets as curiosities, or disturbing surface
sediments during recreation all provide plausible pathways for lead exposure.
Although exposure during a single visit is likely to be relatively small,
repeated recreational use of contaminated areas could increase cumulative
contact over time.
Occupational Safety Highlights an Important Concern
An important observation emerges from the annual report.
State Parks personnel conducting lead removal operations wear gloves, long
sleeves, safety glasses, and N95 respirators while collecting bullets from the
dunes. These protective measures acknowledge that collecting and disturbing
lead-contaminated materials presents an occupational exposure concern. In
contrast, members of the public entering former firing ranges generally receive
no comparable protective equipment and may be unaware that visible lead bullets
remain present on the ground surface.
Conclusions
The 2025 DTSC annual report demonstrates that lead
contamination remains a serious management issue within portions of Fort Ord
Dunes State Park. Continuing inspections, repeated bullet mapping, and the
recovery of 106 pounds of lead during a single cleanup operation indicate that
substantial quantities of lead remain accessible on or near the surface of the
former firing ranges. The report further documents continuing coastal erosion,
ongoing dune migration, recurring homeless encampments, and the ongoing need
for lead removal, indicating that this is not a static contamination site but a
constantly changing coastal environment where storms and wind can expose
previously buried bullets.
The potential for human exposure varies considerably
depending upon how the park is used, although we must keep in mind that lead
bullets weather through physical abrasion and chemical corrosion. Weathering
produces small lead-containing particles that adhere to fine sand and dust. The
strong coastal winds suspend these fine particles in the air where they can be
inhaled.
Campground visitors using the new facilities are likely to
experience some exposure, while hikers who leave designated trails may
encounter highly contaminated areas. Individuals living for extended periods
within homeless encampments located inside former firing ranges may experience
the greatest opportunity for repeated exposure because of prolonged contact
with contaminated sand, windblown dust, and surface lead. Additional
environmental monitoring and public health evaluation, particularly regarding
populations residing within the former firing ranges, would provide a stronger
scientific basis for evaluating the magnitude of these potential risks.
I hope to solicit donations next time around. I plan to team
up with others to perform environmental testing at the former Fort Ord.
Pat Elder is the Director of Military Poisons.
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