The general was accompanied by: Tran Hong Ha, Member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CCCPV), Minister of Natural Resources and Environment; Lieutenant General Phan Van Giang, Member of the CCCPV, permanent Member of the CMC, Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, Deputy Minister of National Defense; Senior Lieutenant General Nguyen Chi Vinh, Member of the CCCPV, permanent Member of the CMC, Deputy Minister of National Defense; and representatives from the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Ministry of Transportation, Air Defense - Air Force Command, Command of Military Region 5, the Ministry of National Defense’s (MND) relevant agencies, etc.
General Ngo Xuan Lich at the working session
After inspecting the site, General Ngo Xuan Lich worked with representatives of relevant agencies involved in the dioxin detoxification project.
Major General Bui Anh Chung, Deputy Commander of the Air Defense - Air Force Command, Chief of the Project Management Board, said that the Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contamination at Da Nang Airport Project uses the ODA from the U.S. Government via the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), and the Air Defense - Air Force Command under the MND is the project owner.
The project was started on June 17th, 2011 and so far most volume of the work has been completed, especially the In-Pile Thermal Desorption.
In Phase 1 of the project, 150,000 cubic meters of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment was excavated. Of which, 45,000 cubic meters was treated and the dioxin concentrations fall below the agreed upon level of 150 ppt, the treatment of another 45,000 cubic meters of contaminated soil is expected to be completed this July. So far, 19 hectares of land have been cleaned up and about six hectares of cleaned-up land have been returned to the Airport Corporation of Vietnam to enlarge the Da Nang International Airport terminal and upgrade the E7 runway to serve the APEC 2017. Accordingly, after being returned to the local authorities, treated soil and sediment will be mixed with other substances to improve the physical features of soil and then be leveled up, ready to be used by Da Nang Airport.
As scheduled, more land will be returned this month to enlarge the airport, serving the socio-economic development of the city.
On behalf of the CMC, General Ngo Xuan Lich praised and highly valued the efforts made by relevant units and agencies to accomplish their tasks despite numerous difficulties.
To speed up detoxifying post-war dioxin contamination, General Ngo Xuan Lich asked relevant agencies to strictly study relating directives and decisions issued by the Party, the Government, and the MND.
The minister also tasked them to successfully complete Phase 2 of the project as well as to plan and implement dioxin detoxification projects in Bien Hoa and Phu Cat airports.
Additional efforts should be made on communications, cooperation with international partners, and mobilization of capital and technology from domestic and international donors to speed up dioxin detoxification in Vietnam, said the minister.
The general also stressed the need to assist Agent Orange/dioxin victims, be they civilians or soldiers.
Moreover, General Ngo Xuan Lich also requested relevant agencies to promote research capacity and environmental monitoring capabilities, and master technology to become a key force in post-war detoxification.
Translated by Ngoc Hung