Vietnam, US in Agent Orange cleanup
Print Edition
VIETNAM and the United States yesterday launched the second phase of a dioxin clean-up in Danang, where millions of liters of Agent Orange were stored during the war between the former enemies.
The US sprayed the defoliant over large swathes of southern jungle during the Vietnam War to flush out Viet Cong guerrillas, and Vietnamese victims’ groups have long blamed the toxic residue for deformities and disease.
Although Washington has disputed the link between dioxin exposure and bad health, the US government has committed to help clean up toxic land in the communist nation.
The countries, whose relations have warmed in recent years, yesterday began treating 45,000 cubic meters of soil contaminated with dioxin at Danang Airport, a task expected to be finished by mid-2017.
“I am encouraged by how this project continues to be a symbol of our honesty about the past, dealing with what remains and turning an issue of contention into one of collaboration,” US ambassador Ted Osius said.
Danang Airbase was a key site in the defoliant program, and much of the 80 million liters of Agent Orange used were mixed, stored and loaded onto planes there.
Vietnam says up to 3 million Vietnamese were exposed to Agent Orange.
At least 150,000 children were born with birth defects as a result.
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