Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh (second from right) and US Senator Patrick Leahy (third from right) launch project on dioxin contamination remediation at Bien Hoa airport (Source: VNA) Dong Nai (VNA) – A US-funded project on dioxin contamination remediation at Bien Hoaairport in the southern province of Dong Nai was launched on April 20.
The launch ceremony, hosted by the US Agency for International Development(USAID) and the Vietnam Air Defence-Air Force Service, was attended byPermanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh, visiting US Senator PatrickLeahy, who is Vice Chairman of the US Committee on Appropriations and other USsenators who are on the Vietnam visit, the US Ambassador to Vietnam, amongothers.
According to the Vietnam Air Defence-Air Force Service, USAID and othercompetent Vietnamese agencies completed their assessment of dioxin contaminationin Bien Hoa, where the US troops kept most of the toxic chemical used in the warin Vietnam, providing the fact that around 500,000 cubic metres of contaminatedsoil there need to be treated.
Following the assessment, USAID signed an agreement on the implementation ofthe first five-year phase of a project to resolve dioxin contamination at BienHoa airport with the Ministry of Defence of Vietnam in early 2018. The agencycommitted a funding of 183 million USD for the project, which is scheduled tolast 10 years using the remediation methods used at Da Nang airport.
Addressing the event, Permanent Deputy PM Truong Hoa Binh hailed the US sidefor actively working to support the making of the project, especially thepersonal support of Senator Patrick Leahy and other US senators.
He said although the war ended years ago, dioxin consequences still linger,leaving huge impact on human life and the environment.
Statistics showaround 4.8 million Vietnamese people were exposed to Agent Orange/dioxin, over3 million of whom are Agent Orange/dioxin victims, and the toxic chemical alsoleft effect on the third generation, he said.
Accordingly, the Vietnamese Party and Government have defined that thesettlement of post-war toxic chemical consequences is an urgent, humanitariantask, helping to protect the health and environmental safety for people andspur sustainable socio-economic development, he said.
He also noted the close coordination between relevant agencies of Vietnam andthe US in activities to survey, assess, and resolve dioxin contamination andimplement projects on healthcare and functional rehabilitation for people withdisabilities in Vietnam.
These outcomes are initial but important to stepping up the comprehensivepartnership between Vietnam and the US, he said, expressed thanks to the USparliament, government and people for working with Vietnam in addressing Agent Orange/dioxinconsequences over the past years.
Deputy Minister of Defence Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh said BienHoa airport is one of the areas with heaviest dioxin contamination with its 52ha with over 500,000 cubic metres of soil need to be cleansed.
Vietnamese and US agencies estimate that the workload needs over 390 millionUSD, he said.
Locatedabout 30 kilometres from Ho Chi Minh City, Bien Hoa, is a major base for USArmy, Air Force, Navy and Marine units during the war.
Dioxin, a highly toxic chemical contained in the defoliant, stays in the soiland at the bottom of lakes and rivers for generations.
It can enter the food chain through meat, fish andother animals, and has been found at alarmingly high levels in human breastmilk.
The chemicals have been linked to cancer, birthdefects and other chronic diseases, according to Vietnam Red Cross.-VNA
