On Sunday, Minister of Defence Ngo Xuan Lich inspected the US-funded dioxin decontamination project which is currently underway at the Da Nang International Airport.

Government officials and military officers inspect dioxin decontamination at the airport (Photo: VOV)

He spoke highly of the significant outcomes in implementing the national action plan for basically overcoming consequences of toxic chemicals used by the US during the war in Viet Nam.  The action plan was for the 2012 - 2015 period with a vision towards 2020.

Relevant Vietnamese agencies have closely worked with the US Agency for International Development (USAID) to complete the 1^st phrase of the dioxin decontamination project at the airport, he said.

The Minister urged the relevant agencies to carry out effectively and ensure the progress and quality of the 2^nd phase, while deploying similar projects in the Bien Hoa and Phu Cat airports via non-refundable official development assistance (ODA) sponsored by the US and other countries worldwide.

He suggested stepping up international cooperation to deal with the toxic chemicals at hotspots and newly-discovered contaminated areas.

At the same time, it is necessary to promptly provide medical support for the Agent Orange (AO)/Dioxin victims, and improve research and environmental monitoring capacity in this aspect, he added.

Major General Bui Anh Chung, the Deputy Commander of the Air Force Air Defence Command, said the US-sponsored dioxin treatment project was launched in June 2011 with a majority of workload completed.   He added that in the recently completed 1^st stage, 150,000 m³ of sludge and dioxin-contaminated soil had been excavated, and 45,000 m³ had been put through thermal treatment. 

The use of thermal treatment system (In-Pile Thermal Desorption-IPTD) in the 1^st phrase helped clean up around 19 hectares of land and ponds, 5.97 hectares of which were handed over to the Vietnam Airlines to build an expanded apron and runway to serve the upcoming 25^th APEC Summit.

In the 2^nd stage that began in November, another 45,000 m³ of contaminated soil and sediment will be treated by July 2017.

The project-involved units also have taken into account environmental pollution issues and closely monitor hazardous waste.

(Source: VNA/ Vietnamnews/ Da Nang Today)