Office of The National Steering Committee on overcoming of toxic chemicals used by US during the war in Vietnam (Office 33)

The status of herbicide/dioxin residues

in Vietnam

Contaminated sources of herbicide/dioxin

Ranch Hand

8/1961-10/1971

- Density of spray is about 37 kg/ha, which is 17 time higher than the spray density in agriculture

WASH, STORE AND SPILLED AREAS FOR SPRAYING AIRPLAN

Agents Liter

Orange 49.3 millions

White 20.6 millions

Blue 4.7 millions

Purple , Pink , Green 2.4 millions

Sum 77 millions

~77 million liters of herbercide

Dioxin: byproduct in Agents Orange; Purple; Pink , Green

Dioxin contamination in Vietnam caused by AO source:The ratio of TCDD is very high: - In soil and sediment•VN: 2,3,7,8- TCDD > 90%; • Contamination by industrial sources: 2,3,7,8TCDD ~10%

Quantity of dioxin contained in herbicides:- Folkin: 500 kg- Stellman: 366 kg ( 240 times total amount of dioxin/furan in USA year 2000).-Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center: 1000 kg

- 19,905 flights sprayed herbicide

25.585 hamlets were sprayed with toxic chemicals

80% areas were duplicated spray

11% areas were sprayed more than 10 times

Total forest area sprayed : 3,104,000 ha (approx.17.8% natural forest area)

Amount of wood lost about 82,830,000 m3

Many rare and prestigue plans and animals were diminished and lost

Table 1: Determinate results of dioxin residues in environment (until 2006)

TT Areas Samples Concentration 2378-TCDD/TEQ, ppt

Analytical laboratories-Sources

1

Gio Linh - Cam Lộ,Quảng Trị (2003-2004)

SoilWater

Sediment

1,2 TEQ (n=31)0 (n=2)1TEQ (n=15)

TTNĐViệt- Nga TTNĐViệt- Nga TTNĐViệt- NgaTTNĐViệt- NgaMai Anh Tuấn và cs (2004)Cam Lộ, Quảng Trị

(2004)Organism

soil< 0.2 TEQ (n=12)20 TEQ (n=10)

2

Sân bay A So (1999)Sân bay Tà Bạt(1999)Sân bay A Lưới(1999)A Lưới( đến 1999)

SoilSoilSoilSoil

122/123 (n=10)13/15 (n=7)12/13 (n=9)23,5 (n=89)

UB10-80+Hatfield UB10-80+Hatfield UB10-80+Hatfield UB10-80+Hatfield

3Sa Nhơn, Sa Thầy,Kon Tum (2003)

Soilsediement

0,14 TEQ (n=14)0,38 TEQ (n=6)

TTNĐViệt- Nga - Cục Môi trưòng

4 Phú Lộc, TT-Huế(1993) soil 8,6 (n=4/6) Matsuda và cs

(1993)

5Tây Ninh (1993)Tân Bình, Tân Biên, Tây Ninh(1995-98)

SoilSoil

organism

14 (n=14/54)13,2/14,3 (n=24)0,7/ 2,8 (n=7)

Matsuda và csTTNĐViệt- Nga TTNĐViệt- Nga

6

Rừng Sác, Tp. HCM(1986-1990)Tân Sơn Nhất Tp. HCM(1995-1996)Tân Sơn Nhất Tp. HCM(2006)

SoilSediment

soilsediement

16 (n=7)3,6/4,0 (n=7)

2,06-341TEQ (n=5)

VH1/ ĐHKHTNHNUB10-80 TTNĐViệt- NgaBan 10-80, VP33(2006)

Table 1: Determinate results of dioxin residues in environment (until 2006) (cont.)

TT Areas Samples Concentration 2378-TCDD/TEQ, ppt

Analytical laboratories-Sources

7 Cà Mau (1993) Đất <1 (n=16) Matsuda và cs

8 Hồ Trị An (2002-2003)

ĐấtBùn

NướcS.vật

3,9 TEQ (n=15)2,8 TEQ (n=27)0 (n=4)1,0 TEQ (n=19)

Viện KHTLMN TTNĐViệt- Nga

9

Khu vực Mã Đà (2000)Khu vực SB Rang Rang (2004)

Đất

Đất

8,6/10,2 (n=9/17)119/122 (n=1/17)24 TEQ (n=5)265 TEQ (n=1)

TTNĐViệt- NgaMai Anh Tuấn và cs (2004)

10Bình Mỹ, Tân Uyên,Bình Dương(1995-1998)

ĐấtSvật

12,7/14,5 (n=19)1,3/3,4 (n=10)

TTNĐViệt- Nga

Because of time, rain, flood, slops, run off,…Because of time, rain, flood, slops, run off,… >> Concentration of Dioxin in spraying areas were mostly Concentration of Dioxin in spraying areas were mostly decreased below the harmful level to environment.decreased below the harmful level to environment.

Cuu Long delta areas: not detected 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentrationCuu Long delta areas: not detected 2,3,7,8-TCDD concentration Midle areas: Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên Huế (A Lưới) dioxin Midle areas: Quảng Trị, Thừa Thiên Huế (A Lưới) dioxin

concentration were found but were not high levels (average is concentration were found but were not high levels (average is 23,5ppt) 23,5ppt)

South East area: average of dioxin concentration is 15,05 pptSouth East area: average of dioxin concentration is 15,05 ppt Some big lakes: (như Dầu Tiếng, Trị An), dioxin concenration in Some big lakes: (như Dầu Tiếng, Trị An), dioxin concenration in

sediment are in acceptable level (safety level) sediment are in acceptable level (safety level)

> > Other contaminated areas is still lacking??Other contaminated areas is still lacking??

> Mobility, precipitation of hebicides/dioxin? ? > Mobility, precipitation of hebicides/dioxin? ?

> Unload hebicides/AO when airplan be pursuing or be charsing> Unload hebicides/AO when airplan be pursuing or be charsing

DIOXIN RESIDUES AT THE STORED, WASHED, SPILLED AND UPLOADED AREAS

•At present, 3 hotspot areas has been determining: Bien hoa , Biên At present, 3 hotspot areas has been determining: Bien hoa , Biên Hòa, Đà Nẵng và Phù Cát aiportsHòa, Đà Nẵng và Phù Cát aiports• in 2007, US MOD have providing information on new 7 aiports in 2007, US MOD have providing information on new 7 aiports Đà Nẵng, Biên Hòa, Phù Cát, Nha Trang, Tân Sơn Nhất, Phan Rang Đà Nẵng, Biên Hòa, Phù Cát, Nha Trang, Tân Sơn Nhất, Phan Rang và Tuy Hòa ) are previous storages that might be also và Tuy Hòa ) are previous storages that might be also contaminated. VN MOD, Hattfield are now doing sampling, contaminated. VN MOD, Hattfield are now doing sampling, analysing to determine dioxin concentration in these airports. For analysing to determine dioxin concentration in these airports. For Danang airport, it have been identified some more contamination Danang airport, it have been identified some more contamination places at the South of aiport; in Bienhoa airport also indentified places at the South of aiport; in Bienhoa airport also indentified some new places of dioxin contamination (but analytical result is some new places of dioxin contamination (but analytical result is still not finished yet) .still not finished yet) .

Herbicides in Bien Hoa AirbaseOperation Ranch Hand (Dec. 1966 – Feb. 1970) - total transport and handlingAgent Orange: 98,000 barrels (20,384,000 l)Agent White: 45,000 barrels (9,360,000 l)Agent Blue: 16,300 barrels (3,390,000 l)Operation Pacer Ivy (Apr. 1970 – Mar. 1972)Re-drumming of 11,000 barrels Agent Orange (2,288,000 l) and site cleanup occurredSpills of Herbicides in Bien Hoa AirbaseDecember 1969 – March 1970: four large spills from 28,000-liter tanks occurred on the airbase. Spills and leakages also occurred due to handling (loading, washing and re-drumming).

Bien Hoa Airbase: Area contaminated Dioxin, Volume to be Treated

LocationLocationArea Area

(m2)(m2)dioxin 0-0.3m

mean (ppt)

Treatmentdepth(m) (m)

Est. Soil, Est. Soil,

SedimentSediment

(m3)(m3)

South of runway

15.000 5.27619-65.500

1,2 18.000

South of runway

20.000 2.65080,3-22.800

1,2 24.000

Site Z1 38.000 15.8642-409.818

1,5 57.000

Z1-Perimeter land

49.000 8932,0-13.300

0,9 22.050

Z1-perimeterwetlands/lakes

41.000 49516-2.240

0,5 20.500

Sum 163.000 141.550

* Treatment level: Soil 1000ppt; Sediment 150ppt

Z1 has been isolated, 5 million USD; 3,600 m3 bioremidiatio

Herbicides in Phu Cat Airbase Operation Ranch Hand (Jun. 1968 – May.

1970) - total transport and handling Agent Orange: 17,000 barrels

(3,536,000 l) Agent White: 9,000 barrels (1,872,000 l) Agent Blue: 2,900 barrels (603,200 l) Spills of Herbicides in Phu Cat Airbase Spills and leakages occurred due to

handling (loading and washing).

Phu Cat: Area contaminated Dioxin, Volume to be Treated

LocationLocationArea Area

(m2)(m2)dioxin 0-0.3m

mean (ppt)

Treatmentdepth(m) (m)

Est. Soil, Est. Soil,

SedimentSediment

(m3)(m3)Loading Area (A) 261

2,6-8760 0

Zone B 24.000 4821,5-2.950

0.6 1,440

Washing area (C) 6.000 251,9-218

0 0

Storage area(Z3) 2.020 11.367 1.2 2,424

Lakes A,B,C 310.000 431,7-196

0.5 1,550

Sum 342.020 5,414

* Treatment level: Soil 1000ppt; Sediment 150ppt

Herbicides in Da Nang Airbase Operation Ranch Hand (May 1964 – Jan.

1971) - total transport and handling: Agent Orange: 52,700 barrels (10,961,600 l) Agent White: 29,000 barrels (6,032,000 l) Agent Green: 5,000 barrels (1,040,000 l) Operation Pacer Ivy (Dec. 1971 – Mar. 1972) Collected and re-drummed 8,220 barrels

Agent Orange (1,709,760 l) Spills of Herbicides in Da Nang Airbase Spills and leakages occurred due to

handling (loading, washing and re-drumming

Sen Lake

Ranch Hand Sites

Pacer Ivy Sites

P1

P2

P3

P4