THE CONSEQUENCES OF AGENT ORANGE/DIOXIN IN ENVIRONMENT AND REMEDIATION ACTIVITIES IN HOTSPOTS

Summary

The Airports of Bien Hoa, Da Nang and Phu Cat are the Agent Orange/dioxin contaminated hotspots. In recent years, The Government has assigned the following duties to the Ministry of Defense: Presiding over localizing and completely treating heavily contaminated areas. The Ministry of Defense has coordinated with national and international organizations to survey, assess, localize and isolate, gradually treat agent orange/dioxin in hotspots. Some of the results achieved and the orientation activities which need to be deployed will be presented in this report.

1. Introduction

During the war in Vietnam, about 80 million liters of herbicides were used. The United States Army used The Airports of Bien Hoa, Phu Cat, Nha Trang, Phan Rang, Tan Son Nhat, Tuy Hoa and other areas, such as A So, A Luoi/Thua Thien Hue, Sa Thay/Kontum as the places where storaged, prepared herbicides and organized flights for spraying them (Operation Ranch Hand) at different scales, as well as withdrew about 1.4 millions of liters of Agent orange during the Operation Pacer Ivy (1961-1972). These areas, which are highly implicit risks of herbicides contamination (especially Agent Orange containing dioxin) because of leaking, breaking barrels, need to be investigated, assessed and thoroughly treated.

2. The results achieved

Since 1980, the results of studying and assessing the ecological enviroment of the National Committee investigating the consequense of toxic chemical used by the US during the war in Vietnam (called The Committee 10-80), as well as the agencies within and outside the military and the other international organizations, have shown that the domain and level of contaminated areas in the Airport of Nha Trang, Phan Rang, Tan Son Nhat and Tuy Hoa aren\'t major. At the sampling location dioxin concentration does not exceed a certain level. Some airports have currently been upgraded and expanded in accordance with socio-economic development. The Airport of Da Nang, Bien Hoa and Phu Cat are hotspots of Agent orange/dioxin contamination because of the extremely high dioxin contaminating level. The concentration of dioxin is many times higher than the threshold in the Vietnamese and International standard (Table 1 and 2). During many years, the toxic has seriously impacted on to the human health and ecological environment in those areas.

Table 1. Dioxin threshold in the soil and sediment

(National standard TCVN 8183:2009)

Table 2. National technique regulation on allowed limits of dioxin in soils

(National technique standard 45:2012/BTNMT)

After Committee 10-80 published \"Proceedings works 1980-2000\", the Prime Minister of Government of The Socialist Republic of Vietnam issued Decision No. 33/1999/QD-TTg dated 01/3/1999 on establishing the National Steering Committee for overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US in the war in Vietnam (called Committee 33) in order to implement the investigation, assess and overcome the consequences of toxic chemicals and treat contaminating environment. Since then, Committee 33 has been strengthened in order to enhance the coordination between ministries, branches and localities as well as the International communities in overcoming the consequences of toxic chemicals after the war.

With the \"Action Plan for the period of 2004-2010 overcoming toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam\" in Decision No. 67/2004/QD-TTg dated 27/04/2004 and \" the national action plan to fundamentally overcome consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US in the war in Vietnam to 2015 and orienting 2020\" in Decision No 651/QD-TTg dated 01/6/2012 of the Prime Minister, the overcoming consequences of toxic chemicals has gradually been implemented. The contaminating Agent Orange/dioxin treatment in hot spots done by the Ministry of Defense has achieved important results, contributing to the reduction of environmental contamination and reducing the risks to human health and environment.

2.1 At Da Nang Airport: From 1964 to 1972, the airport stored about 54,700 barrels of Agent orange, 29,000 barrels of Agent white, 5,000 barrels of Agent blue in the spraying operation and 8,220 barrels of Agent orange in withdrawing operation. The investigating results of Ministry of Defend\'s offices and departments and other international organizations show that the Agent orange/dioxin have contaminated a large area in the North of the airport. Concentration of dioxin in sediment in the Sen Lake is higher than the allowable threshold. By the state budget and some of the international organizations funding (especially the United States Environmental Protection Agency, Ford Foundation), in the perior of 1997-2007, Chemical Command concreted the surface of 7 hectares of heavily contaminating land; constructed some structures (drain ditches, settling tanks, filter tanks...) in order to preventing spreading dioxin contamination to surrounding environment. Surrounding wall and blockhouses were built to ensure the security and safety around the contamination area before having method of thorough treatment.

In 2011, after surveying and assessing environment at the airport, USAID cooperated with Air defense-Air force Command and other organizations of Ministry of Defence announcing the implementation of project \"Environmental remediation of dioxin contamination at Da Nang Airport\" from the budget of the United States Government and counterpart funding from the Government of Viet Nam. According to initial estimates, more than 73,000m³ of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment exceed Vietnamese standard. The dioxin - contaminated soil and sediment will be excavated and placed in an enclosed containment structure built on the Airport grounds over two phases with thermal treatment. This project was estimated to be completed in 2016. However, in fact, nearly 90,000m³ of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment exceeding a certain threshold need heat treatment. At the same time, nearly 50,000m³ of soil and sediment with the contamination lower than the threshold need to be isolated, managed to avoid reinfection in the airport.

Up to 2015, the first phrase of the project was completed. About 45,000 m³ of contaminated soil and sediment had fully been treated. Concentration of dioxin in the material after treatment is lower than the threshold (Vietnamese standard QCVN 45:2012/BTNMT), 5.97 ha of clean area was handed over, the Airports Corporation of Vietnam will use the land to construct a new taxiway and plane parking area to support the Danang International Airport expansion planned to prepare for the 2017 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). The second phrase of the project completed hauling and loading approximately 45,000 cubic meters of dioxin-contaminated soil and sediment into the treatment structure for the second and final phase of thermal. The project is estimated to be completed in 2018.

2.2 At Phu Cat Airport: This is the place where refueling process and storing herbicides (about 17.000 barrels of Agent orange, 9.000 barrels of Agent white and 2.900 barrels of Agent blue) and organizing flights spraying in \"Ranch Hand\" from 1968 to 1970. There was considerable spillage of herbicides during storage and use.

From 1999-2002, Chemical Command with other agencies of Ministry of Defense conducted screening and demining, surveying, delimiting contaminating areas and built some constructions to avoid spreading of Agent Orange/dioxin from contaminated areas into the environment. From 2011 to 2012, in the scope of Project \"Environmental remediation of dioxin contaminated hotspots in Vietnam\" with the support by the Global Environment Facilty (GEF) and United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), Office of National Steering Committee 33 (the investor) cooperated with Air defense - Air force Command and Chemical Command collected more than 10.000 m³ of contaminated soil in the area of 2.06 hectares. In the future, this landfill will be completely treated to avoid contamination. Monitoring system in this area will be developed (planned in 2013) with the support of Czech Republic Government. This landfill was handed over to MOD. Now, Vietnam-Russia Tropical Centre is conducting the monitoring and control of the annual ground water in the operations wells at Phu Cat Airport.

2.3 At Bien Hoa Airport: In the period from 1966 to 1972, about 98.000 barrels of Agent orange, 17.000 barrels Agent white and 16.000 Agent blue were stored here for spraying organizations, and about 11.000 barrels of Orange investory in withdrawing operation. According to the national and international organizations, this is the most contaminated area in three hotspots. According to initial investigation, the concentration of dioxin in the South of the airport (1,2 hectares) and the South-east area (7,5 hectares) exceeds the allowable threshold several time. After spreading, four lakes inside Bien Hoa Airport and Bien Hung Lake (central of Bien Hoa, 1 km from the airport) are also showed signs of contamination.

From 1995, Chemical Command checked and demolished explosives in a part of 2,6 hectares area; delimited and built surrounding wall to prevent 2,3 hectares of heavily contaminating area; rehabilitated filtration systems, diverted water, dug drainage ditches to limit the spread of toxic to environment. The period from 2007 -2010, Chemical Command cooperated with Viet Nam Academy of Science and Technology to isolate with biodegradable methods nearly 100.000 m³ of dioxin contaminated soil of the south area of the airport-Z1 area (4.5 hectares) from the state budget of Vietnam. From 2013-2016, about 50.000 m³ contaminated soil at the soccer field and difusing Z1 area have been collected and isolated with landfill.

In the long-term groundwater control plan made for the airport, the monitoring wells are located around the landfills from the supporting of Czech Republic Government. These wells were handed over to Military of Defense to manage and monitor. Office 33 constructed some structures (drain ditches, embankments, gathering puddles, spillway...) in Pacer Ivy area (South-west area), North-west area, North-east area. In addition, many methods such as protective fencing, warning signs to prevent people from entering; prohibition of fishing at the lakes inside the airport to avoid the risk of dioxin contamination for people living around the area.

With the support of the US Government, since 2014, USAID has collaborated with the Military Institute of Science and Technology to assess environment at Bien Hoa airport, as a basis for proposing solutions to treating contamination area. According to the results of assessment, contamination area at Bien Hoa Airport estimated of 52.24 hectares. In which the largest areas need to be treated are Pacer lvy area (15.48 ha), the Z1 (12.26 hectares), the Southwest (8.51 hectares). The total volume of dioxin contaminated soil and sediment reaches nearly 500,000 m³, of which nearly 400,000 m³ of soil and 100,000 m³ of sediment (USAID, 2016). Specific results are presented in Table 3 and 4.

Table 3. Dioxin contaminated area of soil and sediment at Bien Hoa Airport

Table 4. Volume of contaminating dioxin at Bien Hoa Airport

BẢN ĐỒ Ô NHIỄM DIOXIN BỀ MẶT TẠI SÂN BAY BIÊN HÒA

MAP OF DIOXIN CONTAMINATIN ON SURFACE AT BIEN HOA AIR

3. Conclusion

The consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US in the war are still serious. Some diloxin contaminated ares have not been completely investigated, surveyed and treated, implicitly affecting human health and ecologic environment. A number of victims of toxic chemicals have not received medical assistance from adequate policie regimes.

Referring to the objectives and content of \"National action plan to overcome the basic consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Vietnam until 2015 and orientations towards 2020\" by the Prime Minister approval, the major tasks that the Defense Ministry agencies should coordinate in deployment in the coming period as follows:

3.1. Investigating, surveying and comprehensive assessing the extent and levels of toxic chemicals contamination zoning, isolating, monitoring and controlling environment of contaminated areas; testing technology, completely treating and recovering the environment at the airports

3.2. Assessing and overcoming consequences of toxic chemicals on human health; Improving diagnosis, treatment, health care and rehabilitation ability for those who exposed to Agent orange/dioxin and their progeny influence by this toxic.

3.3. Implementing of communication activities, raising awareness and responsibility for overcoming consequences of toxic chemicals; campaigning financing from The US and other international communities to support and implement the National Action plan.

REFERENCES

1. Alvin L. Young (2008): \"Agent Orange: A History of its Use, Disposition and Environment Fate\".

2. Lê Cao Đài (2009): Chất da cam trong chiến tranh Việt Nam.

3. USAID: Project \"Environmental remediation of dioxin contamination at Da Nang Airport\" (2011-2016)

4. Office Committee 33: Project \"Environmental remediation of dioxin contaminated hotspots in Viet Nam\" (2011-2014).

5. USAID. Report \"Environment remediation at Bien Hoa Airport\" (2014-2016).

6. Bộ Tư lệnh Hóa học: \"Khắc phục hậu quà khu nhiễm chất diệt cỏ chứa dioxin tại sân bay Biên Hoà\", \"Điều tra, đánh giá, hạn chế ảnh hưởng và xử lý, khắc phục hậu quả khu nhiễm chất độc hóa học chứa dioxin tại sân bay Đà Nẵng\"; \"Điều tra, đánh giá và khắc phục hậu quả chất độc hóa học chứa dioxin tại sân bay Phù Cát\", \"Điều tra, đánh giá mức độ ô nhiễm chất độc hoá học/dioxin tại 7 sân bay và đề xuất các giải pháp xử lý\" (1994-2014).

7. Trung tâm Nhiệt đới Việt - Nga: \"Nghiên cứu tác động lâu dài của chất độc hoá học chứa dioxin tại sân bay Đà Nẵng đến môi trường, sinh thái\"; \"Quan trắc, phân tích đánh giá chất lượng môi trường dất, nước, không khí và đa dạng sinh học tại các vùng nóng nhiễm chất độc hoá học/dioxin\" (2002-2012).

Than Thanh Cong, Nam Dieu Linh (Department of Military Science/MOD)

To Van Thiep (Science and technology military institute),

Tran Trong Hieu (Air defense - Air force Command)