US & Vietnam AO clean up
One of the first project of the newly formed Joint US & Vietnam Dialogue Group has been that surrounding the former US base at Da Nang. Long known as a Hot Spot one of a number in South Vietnam due to the storage on the bases of the chemicals that included Agent Orange.
The contamination of the site is 300 to 400 times higher than internationally accepted. The action taken has been to cement over some areas and construct concrete channels to prevent the dioxin contaminated water/waste from flowing off of the base into the city drains and nearby lakes.
Cost of the removal of the dioxin from the site is estimated at $14 million. Last May the US Congress agreed to give $3 million, to date this is still to be handed over. There are a number of other Hot Spots in
Vietnam Report – Issue 53 Third Quarter 2008
