Vietnam - US efforts to clean up dioxin contamination

The Bien Hoa airport dioxin remediation project is one of the particularly important projects, demonstrating the effective cooperation between Vietnam and the United States.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense , Head of the Standing Office of Steering Committee 701, spoke at the ceremony.

On September 15, at Bien Hoa airport ( Dong Nai ), leaders of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense, along with the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam and agencies and representatives of several international organizations attended and witnessed the following events: Handing over dioxin-free land; starting construction of a dioxin thermal treatment technology system; signing an agreement to supplement non-refundable ODA capital for the Project to support improving the quality of life of people with disabilities in priority provinces.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien, member of the Party Central Committee, member of the Central Military Commission, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Head of the Standing Office of the National Steering Committee for Overcoming the Consequences of Post-War Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemicals in Vietnam, chaired the above events.

Attending the event were Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper as Head of the US Delegation; representatives of international organizations including: United Nations Development Program (UNDP); Global Environment Facility (GEF); Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA); Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA).

Speaking at the ceremony, Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien said that the Dioxin Remediation Project at Bien Hoa Airport is one of the particularly important projects, demonstrating the effective cooperation between Vietnam and the United States in overcoming the consequences of post-war toxic chemicals/dioxin, contributing to realizing the commitments of the two countries' senior leaders in the Joint Statement in 2023 on upgrading the Vietnam-US relationship to a Comprehensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Sustainable Development.

At the event, representatives of the Embassy of the United States of America in Vietnam awarded certificates to dioxin-cleaned areas of about 6 hectares at Bien Hoa airport.

Dioxin-contaminated land areas at Bien Hoa Airport are being treated.

After 6 years of implementation (from December 2019 to present), the Bien Hoa Airport Dioxin Remediation Project has treated nearly half of the dioxin-contaminated land area in the areas inside Bien Hoa Airport and a part outside the airport to reach the safety threshold, handed over to the Air Defense - Air Force Service and local authorities to serve socio-economic development and national defense and security tasks.

Also at the ceremony, leaders of the Ministry of National Defense, the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam, and agencies and units performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the dioxin treatment technology system using heat, part of the Dioxin Contamination Treatment Project in the Bien Hoa Airport area.

Delegates performed the groundbreaking ceremony for the dioxin thermal treatment technology system under the Bien Hoa Airport Dioxin Treatment Project.

Senior Lieutenant General Hoang Xuan Chien said that the technology system using heat to treat dioxin is the key technology to ensure the success of the Project; at the same time, it realizes the commitment of the Government and the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam to complete dioxin treatment at Bien Hoa airport before 2030.

Within the framework of the event, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam Marc Knapper and Major General Nguyen Dinh Hien, Commander of the Chemical Corps (Ministry of National Defense), General Director of the National Action Center for Overcoming the Consequences of Toxic Chemicals and the Environment (NACCET) signed an agreement to provide an additional 32 million USD in non-refundable ODA capital from the United States to continue expanding the Project to support the improvement of the quality of life of people with disabilities in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange/dioxin.

Signed an agreement to provide an additional 32 million USD in non-refundable ODA capital from the United States to continue expanding the Project to improve the quality of life of people with disabilities in provinces heavily sprayed with Agent Orange/dioxin.

This is a successful continuation of the Project being implemented in localities (before the merger) including: Quang Tri, Thua Thien - Hue, Da Nang, Gia Lai, Quang Ngai, Dong Nai from 2021, and is expected to expand in the two provinces of Ca Mau and Quang Ngai in the near future.

After 3 years of implementing the Project in 6 localities, it has supported more than 32,000 people with disabilities and victims of Agent Orange/dioxin, achieving more than 60% of the set target, contributing to the implementation of the goals of health care, medical support, and employment for victims of Agent Orange/dioxin set out in the national plan.

Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United States of America to Vietnam Marc Evans Knapper said that the handover of dioxin-cleaned land and the commencement of construction of a dioxin thermal treatment technology system demonstrate the joint efforts between the Vietnamese and US governments.

VNA

Source: https://baohaiphong.vn/viet-nam-hoa-ky-no-luc-lam-sach-o-nhiem-dioxin-520863.html