U.S. Delegation Visits Dioxin Detoxification Project in Danang

A delegation of the United States congressional staff led by Terra Lynn Sabag, Deputy Chief of Staff for U.S. Congressman Rick Larsen, visited the location of a dioxin remediation project in Danang airport in the central city of the same name on April 17. Major General Bui Anh Chung, Deputy Commander of the Air Defense-Air Force Command, informed his guests on the results of the project. The project was launched in June 2011, with core activities comprising of clearing of bombs and explosives. The six-year project to remediate the environmental pollution at the airport was jointly implemented by the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense and the U.S. International Development Agency (USAID) with a non-refundable aid of $110 million funded by the U.S. government. After the second phase wrapped up in November last year, it successfully detoxified over 90,000 cubic meters of toxic sediments by the thermal treatment method, while isolating other 50,000 cubic meters of low-contaminated sediments. Nearly 30 hectares of land have been remediated to improve and expand Danang airport, thereby serving the city’s socio-economic development and the central and Central Highlands regions. For her part, Terra Sabag expressed her hope that the visit of the US delegation will contribute to strengthening the U.S.-Vietnam sound relations and overcoming war consequences. (Vietnam Plus Apr 17)