Vietnam and America start to clean Agent Orange in Da Nang

The clearance of unexploded mines is one of the activities allowanced by the ministry and proceed as a contribution of Vietnam in program to overcome the consequences of dioxin. This is the first step in the project implemented by the Ministry of Defense of Vietnam and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to clean up soil and sand contaminated by dioxin at the site near the airport.

Da Nang Airport is one of three hot spots of Agent Orange / dioxin in Vietnam. According to a research by a Canadian company, the level of contamination at some points in this area is hundreds of times higher than international levels allow.

Major General Do Minh Tuan, Deputy Commander of the Air Defence - Air Force, the unit assigned to clear landmines, said: "The successful implementation of this project will clean up dioxin for 29 hectares of land to be used for economic activities, trade, and reduce the risk of human exposure to toxic chemicals as well as other potential impacts on health."

U.S. Charge d’Affair Virginia Palmer commented that the Department of Defense has disarmed unexploded mine, which is a great example of strong partnership that the two governments have built from the project to overcome the consequences of the dioxin , statement by the U.S. Embassy in Hanoi said.

Both Vietnam and the U.S. government have worked together since 2001 to solve issues of environmen and health related to dioxin contamination from Agent Orange.

Since 2007, the U.S. government has spent nearly $ 42 million for activities to improve the environment, health, and help disabled people in Danang, among other programs being implemented throughout Vietnam. The U.S. government offers million dollars for demining and assistance to survivors after the war.

During the war in Vietnam, the U.S. military released more than 70 million liters of killing the leaves, which contain dioxin-down of central and southern Vietnam. Dioxin is believed to be related to a variety of diseases and deformities in humans. It is estimated that 3 million people affected by dioxin exposure in Vietnam.

In Vietnam, there are three sites concluded that "heat" of dioxin, including locations before the U.S. Air Force used to store killing-leaf chemicals in Da Nang, Dong Nai Province’s Bien Hoa and Phu Cat in Binh Dinh.

The US Congress has allocated a total of $ 9 million for projects to clean up Agent Orange remaining in hot spots in Vietnam. Last year, a mixed research team of the U.S. - Vietnam released a report to show that it is necessary to have 300 million to clean up and support the victims of Agent Orange / dioxin in Vietnam. Accordingly, this amount will be used for a program lasting 10 years.