PANO - The US Agency for International Development (USAID) and the Air Defence-Air Force Service of Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence, working with the Da Nang People’s Committee, on March 25th held a session to share information with community representatives about progress on the Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contamination at Da Nang Airport Project, which was officially launched in August 2012 with the approval of the Prime Minister.

Over 80 community representatives and Da Nang authorities attended the session.

(photo: USAID)

“The project remains on schedule and on target to complete the clean up in 2016,” said USAID Vietnam Mission Director Joakim Parker. “This owes a great deal to the excellent cooperation among USAID and our Vietnamese Government partners, especially Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence, its Air Defence-Air Force Service, and Da Nang People’s Committee.”

The containment and treatment structure is now full with 45,000 cubic meters of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment. The first phase of remediation (heating) is planned to begin in April 2014. Approximately 95% of the dioxin will be destroyed within the structure. Any remaining dioxin will be captured as liquid and vapour and treated in an adjacent secondary treatment system, which will be monitored to ensure that dioxin is not released into the air or nearby water. The second phase of excavation will begin in 2014 with remediation to follow in late 2015 or early 2016.

At the session, the participants were given an overview of the completed activities, the upcoming project schedule, and the oversight and environmental monitoring plans in place to ensure that all contamination stays within the project site.      

During their meeting at the White House last July, Vietnamese President Truong Tan Sang and US President Barack Obama agreed that extensive cooperation in addressing war legacy issues to deepen mutual trust has allowed both countries to develop a relationship that looks to the future. The two leaders also expressed satisfaction with progress on the project to clean up dioxin contamination at Da Nang International Airport.

Chung Anh