2nd Agent Orange and dioxin remediation workshop

Environmental Science and Pollution Research, Mar 2008

Alvin L. Young, William J. Van Houten, William B. Andrews

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2nd Agent Orange and dioxin remediation workshop

Alvin L. Young () 2 3 William J. Van Houten 1 2 William B. Andrews 0 2 0 Battelle Memorial Institute, Battelle Energy Technology , Richland, Washington, USA 1 Environmental Readiness and Safety Group , Office of the Under Secretary of Defense, Washington, DC, USA 2 By agreement between the Governments of the United States and Viet Nam , the Workshop was on remediation, not on health issues. Further, the US Department of State (DoS) emphasized that the US Department of Defense (DoD) would not have an active role in cleaning-up any contaminated sites , while the Government of Viet Nam concurred that it would be the responsibility of Viet Nam's Military to cleanup any contaminated sites [3]. With this understanding, the objec- tives of the 1 3 Institute for Science and Public Policy, Sarkeys Energy Center, The University of Oklahoma , Norman, Oklahoma, USA The legacy issue of Agent Orange remains as one of the last contentious issues between the United States and Viet Nam from the Vietnam-American War [1]. Generally the term 'Agent Orange' has been used by the public to describe a group of 'Tactical Herbicides' used in combat operations by the US Military and other Allied Forces in the VietnamAmerican War for the suppression and control of vegetation. The path forward on this issue was first discussed during a US Presidential visit to Viet Nam in 2001 [2]. The plan envisioned the preparation and implementation of a broadbased research program that would be conducted in collaboration with Vietnamese and US scientists [2]. However, following government-to-government discussions, the only project to be accepted and implemented by both parties was a project to investigate whether or not the former Tactical Herbicides Storage and Loading Sites in Southern Viet Nam constituted a source of dioxin contamination to adjacent communities [3]. To initiate this project, the 1st Agent Orange and Dioxin Remediation Workshop was held in Hanoi, Viet Nam in August 2005 [3]. - At the beginning of the Workshop, Mr. Van Houten presented to Major General Duong from the Viet Nam's Ministry of National Defence a special Report prepared by the United States Department of Defense on The History and Maps of the Former Tactical Herbicide Storage and Loading Sites in Vietnam [4]. The Report provided: (1) Detailed information on the quantities of tactical herbicides used or spilled in Southern Viet Nam; (2) Detailed information on the types and quantities of dioxins in Herbicide Orange; (3) Maps of the Air Bases used in Operation RANCH HAND and Operation PACER IVY detailing the sites where loading, storage and redrumming operations had occurred; and (4) An update on remediation and environmental studies. At the request of DoD, the MOD provided: (1) Detailed results from analytical studies conducted in and around Da Nang Air Field; (2) Results of studies on the detoxification of dioxin in soil by an active landfill bioreactor; and, (3) Research data on adsorption efficiency of activated carbon for PCDDs/PCDFs from aqueous solutions. After each presentation, thorough discussions occurred. Because the above Report is not readily available to the public, details of the Report as presented to the Viet Nam's MOD are described below. Fig. 1: Photograph of many of the participants who attended the Agent Orange Workshop Quantities of Tactical Herbicides Used in Viet Nam Significant confusion has existed as to how herbicides were selected by the US Military to be used in the defoliation program in Vietnam-American War. The belief that commercially available herbicides were simply purchased from US chemical companies and deployed directly to Viet Nam was incorrect and contrary to historical records. 'Tactical Herbicides' were herbicides developed specifically by the DoD to be used in combat operations. The missions to develop tactical herbicides and delivery technologies were assigned to the US Army Chemical Corps, specifically to the Plant Sciences Laboratories at Fort Detrick, Maryland. Fort Detrick evaluated numerous formulations of herbicides for potential tactical use from 1957 through 1967. The herbicidal formulations used in Southern Viet Nam were purchased under Military Specifications and their use was confined to combat operations. Only the US Army Chemical Corps and the US Air Force Logistics Command were authorized to purchase tactical herbicides. However, many commercial pesticides, including herbicides, were used in Viet Nam on US and Allied bases. These commercial pesticides were purchased under Federal Specifications, and their uses were regulated by the Armed Forces Pest Control Board [4]. The Civil Engineering Squadrons, assigned to all US and Allied Bases were responsible for acquisition and use of commercial pesticides. The tactical herbicides Orange, Blue, and White were not approved for use by Civil Engineering Squadrons on bases in Viet Nam. This distinction between tactical and commercial herbicides has been a source of (...truncated)


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Alvin L. Young, William J. Van Houten, William B. Andrews. 2nd Agent Orange and dioxin remediation workshop, Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 2008, pp. 113, Volume 15, Issue 2, DOI: 10.1065/espr2007.10.453