The US Agency for International Development (USAID) on April 24 gave an update on the progress of the dioxin detoxification project at Da Nang airport in the central city.

The press briefing was attended by US Consul General in Vietnam An Le, Director of USAID in Vietnam Joakim Parker and Deputy Commander of Vietnam ’s Air-Air Defence Force Major General Le Huy Vinh.

The USAID said it has signed the third and final contract to get rid of dioxin at the airport using thermal treatment. The contractors have completed the construction of a yard to store contaminated soil and an approximate 3,200 cu.m. of contaminated soil have been moved here to dry up before the next step of treatment. All the water leaked from the soil will be collected and treated before disposal.

The contractors are building the treatment pile structure.

Parker said he was pleased that the project was on schedule, and was happy with the effective cooperation of the Vietnamese Government’s agencies, especially the Ministry of Defence.

The project is expected to be finished by 2016.

Parker also said that USAID will work closely with Da Nang city authorities to ensure its people have enough information on the project.

Da Nang International Airport is a dioxin “hot spot” due to the high level of contamination in its soil after the war. With the approval of the Vietnamese Prime Minister in 2011, USAID and the Vietnamese Ministry of Defence have worked together to clean up dioxin from the airport.

USAID hopes the Da Nang airport project will help Vietnam develop its own capacity to implement similar activities in other regions.-VNA