The US Mission to Vietnam, the Ministry of Defense and Vietnam’s Air Defense Air Force Command (ADAFC) celebrated initial dioxin remediation results in the Bien Hoa Airbase area, highlighting the US and Viet Nam’s commitment toward resolving war legacies.
It was attended by Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Chi Vinh, US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J. Kritenbrink, US Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Marie Damour, and United States Agency for International Development/Viet Nam (USAID) Mission Director Ann Marie Yastishock, VGP News said.
As many as 1,134 cubic meters of dioxin contaminated sediment have been removed from a lake in a Bien Hoa city public park over the past year.
In the coming weeks, after restoration of grass and trees in the park, USAID and ADAFC will hand back the land to Bien Hoa City.
This result is the first milestone achieved through the US$300 million US Government commitment to restoring the airbase and surrounding areas, which will take 10 years to complete.
USAID and ADAFC also signed an additional land handover agreement which will focus on the removal of contaminated sediment over the next two years on the airbase.
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| A USAID representative reports the removal of dioxin contaminated sediment from a lake in Bien Hoa city. Photo: Vietnamnet |
The US Government, through USAID, the Government of Vietnam and partners, including the National Action Center for Chemical and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), also launched a project to provide support for persons with disabilities in eight priority provinces.
Additionally, the US Government, through USAID, signed a letter of intent with the Office of the Standing Board for the National Steering Committee on Overcoming the Post-war Unexploded Ordnance (“UXO”) and Toxic Chemical Consequences in Vietnam to guide future cooperation and collaboration on joint war legacy communications.
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| As many as 1,134 cubic meters of dioxin contaminated sediment have been removed from a lake in a Bien Hoa city public park over the past year. Photo: Vietnamnet |
During a period of 10 years, from 1961 to 1971, US air forces dumped into southern Vietnam about 80 million liters of herbicides, 61 percent of which was Agent Orange, containing about 366 kg of dioxin, according to the Vietnam Association for Victims of Agent Orange.
More than 3 million hectares of forest were destroyed, and 4,8 million people were directly exposed to toxic chemicals, of which more than 3 million people have been suffering from dangerous diseases, especially cancers and malformations. Hundreds of thousands of them have died. The remainders are struggling with cruel diseases or having malformations and deformities.
During the Vietnam-US defence policy dialogue held online last year, the US side said it will continue paying heed to overcoming the aftermath of war, as it serves as a foundation for the countries’ defence ties, VNA reported. /.
