Bien Hoa, Da Nang, and Phu Cat Military Bases Are Rated As Significant Dioxin Hot Spots

SUMMARY OF DIOXIN CONTAMINATION AT THE BIEN HOA, PHU CAT AND DA NANG AIRBASES, VIET NAM

Hatfield Consultants and Office of the National Steering Committee 33 Research Supported by a Grant from the Ford Foundation to Office of the National Steering Committee 33 Prepared for: Meeting of the US-Vietnam Dialogue Group On Agent Orange/Dioxin Washington D.C., June 2, 2009

Since 1994, Hatfield has worked with Vietnamese Government partners on the Agent Orange issue in Viet Nam; Initial studies were conducted in A Luoi District in Hue Province, where the Hot Spot Theory was developed; Areas sprayed with herbicides now have low levels of dioxin – former US Airbases are highly contaminated, given widespread storage and use of herbicides; Ford Foundation has supported studies to identify all known hotspots in Viet Nam; Da Nang Airbase has been subject to intense study to assess environmental dioxin levels and human impacts; Bien Hoa and Phu Cat are other key hotspots – others may also exist.

Comprehensive review of literature on AO use and storage in Viet Nam (2003/2004); Preliminary field sampling and analysis of suspected “Hot Spots” (2004/2005); Initial investigation at Da Nang (December 2006) Pacer Ivy Sites Identified (May 2007); Complete Da Nang Project Initiated – 2008: Assessment of Environmental Levels – January 2009; Assessment of Human Levels – April 2009; Final Report – August 2009.

Dioxin/furan and other contaminants were compared with international standards/guidelines; Standards vary between countries; Generally, TEQs should not exceed: Soils >1,000 ppt (USEPA, ATSDR, Canada);

Sediments >100 ppt (US-Cook et. al. 1993);

Values should be lower for Viet Nam, given close contact with environment, and reliance on local natural resources for livelihoods.

US Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR 1997)

Action Level for Soils >1,000 ppt T-TEQ Surveillance Research Health Studies Community Education Physician Education Exposure Investigations

1. Da Nang

2. Pleiku

3. Phu Cat

4. Nha Trang

5. Bien Hoa

6. Tan Son Nhut

7. Can Tho

Based on potentially high risk to human health * Other sites may also exist

The Problem is Manageable:

Dioxin contamination in Viet Nam is localized around former US military installations; The vast majority of the land and agricultural & fisheries products in Viet Nam are not contaminated by dioxins; Technologies are available to clean up the hotspots, but international support is needed.

Areas aerially sprayed with Agent Orange during the war are not contaminated with high levels of dioxin today.

This is good news for the future health of people, and for the economic development of Viet Nam.

Bien Hoa, Da Nang, and Phu Cat military bases are rated as significant dioxin hot spots. Concerns: 1. Local residents who have regular, direct contact with soils, living in close proximity to these bases; 2. People who consume locally produced fish, ducks and aquatic organisms (especially fatty tissues) from lakes near these 3 bases.

© Hatfield Consultants. All Rights Reserved. SLIDE 10 Figure 1 Summary of TCDD values (pg/g dry weight) for soil and sediment samples analyzed in Da Nang, Viet Nam, 2005, 2006, and 2009. 200,000 202,000 Da Nang Bay ¬«1 ¬«2

Phu ) Loc River !

!) !)! !) !) ! !!)

! ! ! ! )! ! ! ! ! !Í ! !) ! !!!Í!! ! ) ! 1,778,000 ! !! ! 1,778,000 ! ! ! !)!) ! !! ! !!!! !) !!!!Í !Í !!!Í ) ! !!! ! ! ! !Í ! !!!! ! ! !

!Í !Í

!Í !)

!) !Í !Í

1,776,000 !Í) 1,776,000 !Í !Í !) !Í

!Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í Í !ÍÍ!Í ! !Í!!Í!Í Í !Í! ! !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í!Í Í ! !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í!Í!Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í 1,774,000 !Í !Í 1,774,000 !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í

200,000 202,000 LEGEND

Airport Boundary Soil & Sediment Sample 2 TCDD values (pg/g dry weight) ¬« Open Water ! < 10 Wetted Extent ! 10 - 100 ! 100 - 1,000 Da Nang City Storm Drain ¬«1 ! 1,000 - 10,000 Viet Nam Drainage Ditch ! 10,000 - 100,000 ! > 100,000 Former Army Barracks

Former Mixing and Loading Area Soil & Sediment Sample Site ) 2005 Former Storage Area ! ! 2006 !Í 2008 Map Extent 00.510.25 km

Scale 1:21,000 Ikonos Imagery, August 5, 2004 t Projection: UTM Zone 49N WGS 84

K:\Data\Project\DANDI1450\GIS\_MXD\06CBSummary\DANDI1450_CBSummary_20090528a.mxd Results and Recommendations for Da Nang Airbase

1. High concentrations of 2,3,7,8-TCDD contaminate soils and sediments at the north end of Da Nang Airbase (up to 365,000 ppt) – south end is very low (Pacer Ivy Area);

2. The source of this contamination was war-time use of Agent Orange (>90% TEQ was from 2,3,7,8-TCDD).

3. The food-chain outside the airbase is being contaminated primarily through sediment/soil transport to aquatic organisms (fish, other animals, lotus);

4. Blood dioxin levels were the highest reported for Viet Nam to date;

5. Interim mitigation measures have been implemented with assistance from Ford Foundation;

6. Final dioxin assessment results for entire airbase to be released in August 2009.

698,000 700,000

LEGEND

Soil & Sediment Sample TCDD values (pg/g dry weight) !) ! < 10

1,214,000 1,214,000 ! 10 - 100 ! 100 - 1,000 ! 1,000 - 10,000 !) ! 10,000 - 100,000 !) ! ) > 100,000 ! !) !) Soil & Sediment Sample Site !) 2004 and 2005 ! 2008 ! Í !Í !!ÍÍ Í !Í!Í !!ÍÍ!Í !Í !!Í!ÍÍÍ !Í Pacer Ivy Area (Site B)

!) Perimeter and Ponds/Lakes Southwest Airbase Corner of the Z1 Area (Site A) Viet Nam !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !!Í!ÍÍ !!!ÍÍÍ !Í !Í !Í!!ÍÍ !Í !Í !Í !Í !!ÍÍ!Í!Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í !!ÍÍ !Í !Í !Í !Í !Í )!Í !Í ! !Í !!)ÍÍ !Í !)Í 1,212,000 1,212,000 !) !) !) !)

!) ) ! !)

!) !)

!) 00.40.80.2 km

Scale: 1:18,000 Data Source: Quickbird t Projection: UTM Zone 49 North WGS 84

K:\Data\Project\UNDP1391\GIS\_MXD\BienHoa_CB_20090528a.mxd 698,000 700,000 Results and Recommendations for Bien Hoa Airbase

Dioxin concentrations remain extremely high (up to 185,000 ppt) in the Airbase. Contamination appears to be widespread, and occurs at several locations – the exact extent is currently unknown; Mitigation measures are needed to reduce potential exposure of the human population; Sampling and analysis of aquatic organisms, especially fish, should be undertaken in all lakes and ponds in Bien Hoa Airbase, and outside the Airbase, to determine if there is any human health risk from consumption of these organisms.

288,000 290,000 292,000

1,546,000 LEGEND 1,546,000 !Í

Soil & Sediment Sample !Í TCDD values (pg/g dry weight) !Í ! < 10 ! 10 - 100 ! 100 - 1,000 ! 1,000 - 10,000 ! 10,000 - 100,000 !Í ! > 100,000

Soil & Sediment Sample Site !Í !) 2004 and 2005 !Í 2008

!Í !Í

! ormer Loading Í and Storage Area !Í !Í !) ) Lake A !Í !))!!) !Í !)!!)!) ) !Í !) ) Perimeter Area !) !Í !!)) ! !) ) ) ! ! ) !) Lake B 1,544,000 ) )!))!!Í ) 1,544,000 !) !! !) Viet Nam !)!) ! !) !)!) Sedimentation !! Lake C Tan ks !) ormer Washing Area !Í

) )!)!)!) Southeast Corner !)!)! of Airbase !)!) !)! !Í !)

1,542,000 00.510.25 km 1,542,000 !Í Scale 1:21,000 Data Source: Quickbird t Projection: UTM Zone 49 North WGS 84

K:\Data\Project\UNDP1391\GIS\_MXD\P Cat_CB_20090528a.mxd 288,000 290,000 292,000 Results and Recommendations for Phu Cat Airbase

Dioxin concentrations in the Storage Area are high (up to 236,000 pg/g TCDD), and are comparable to those found at Bien Hoa and Da Nang. Soil in this area should be permanently contained or treated immediately to reduce risk of exposure for Airbase workers and populations living downstream of the Airbase; In most other areas of the Airbase, dioxin concentrations are low, and do not represent a threat to human health or the environment.

For People Living Near the 3 Main Hot Spot Areas: 1. Reducing dioxin exposure for human populations living near the Hot Spots is the first priority. 2. Community-based awareness raising programs are needed. 3. Assessment of potentially exposed populations is required.

International collaboration and information sharing is key to moving the process forward; Need to protect future generations of Vietnamese from exposure to dioxin and other toxic chemicals; Financial and technical support is required from the international community.

THANK YOU

HATFIELD CONSULTANTS 201-1571 Bellevue Ave. West Vancouver, BC, CANADA V7V 1A6 phone +1-604-926-3261 www.hatfieldgroup.com