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| The dioxin remediation project in Bien Hoa airport area |
Whilst several Vietnamese enterprises have previously been involved in USAID dioxin remediation projects in both Da Nang Airport and Bien Hoa Airbase, up to this point they have operated as subcontractors for firms from the United States.
The terms of the contract state that several on and off-base areas with high levels of dioxin contamination will be environmentally remediated in a meticulous manner, including areas that typically face high traffic which poses greater exposure risks. The contractor will also be responsible for building a long-term storage facility for excavated soil, along with a functioning access road and fencing.
USAID believe that the decision can serve to “build the capacity of a Vietnamese construction contractor to lead implementation of state-of-the-art environmental remediation work, furthering the country on its journey to self-reliance.”
This comes after the Ministry of National Defense, US Mission to Vietnam and Vietnam’s Air Defence Air Force Command (ADAFC) celebrated initial dioxin remediation results in January at the Bien Hoa Airbase area. The occasion served to highlight the commitments of both countries to resolve legacies from previous conflicts.
Over the past year, 1,134 cubic metres of dioxin contaminated sediment have been removed from a lake situated within a public park in Bien Hoa city. Over the coming weeks, following restoration of grass and trees in the park, USAID and ADAFC will return the land to Bien Hoa city, the USAID said.
The awarding of the contract to a Vietnamese enterprise marks the first milestone achieved through the US$ 300-million-commitment set out by the US Government to restore the airbase and its surrounding areas, with the process anticipated to take 10 years to complete. In addition, the USAID and ADAFC also signed an additional land handover agreement which will primarily focus on the removal of contaminated sediment at the airbase over the course of the next two years.
The US Government, through their partners in USAID and the Vietnamese Government, including the National Action Center for Chemical and Environmental Treatment (NACCET), will also carry out a project to provide support for disabled people in eight priority provinces.
USAID has pledged a total of US$65 million for this project over the next five years in an effort to ensure that people with disabilities can fully participate in society while improving their overall quality of life. Furthermore, the US Government, through USAID, has signed a letter of intent with the Office of the Standing Board for the National Steering Committee on Overcoming the Post-war Unexploded Ordnance and Toxic Chemical Consequences in Vietnam. This sets out to guide future co-operation and collaboration efforts on joint war legacy communications.
Data released from the Vietnam Association of Victims of Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin (VAVA) indicates that approximately 4.8 million Vietnamese people have been exposed to AO/Dioxin. Although many of the victims have died, millions of their descendants are currently living with deformities and diseases as a direct result of the chemical’s harmful effects.
