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BILATERAL COLLABORATION AND JOINT MANAGEMENT FOR THE ENVIRONMENTAL REMEDIATION OF DIOXIN CONTAMINATION AT DANANG AIRPORT

Dr. Andrew L. Sayers-Fay

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PROJECT HISTORY & OVERVIEWWAR LEGACYENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT PRE-IMPLEMENTATION DESIGNREMEDIATION STRATEGY

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• Operation Ranch Hand (1962–1971), United States (U.S.) applies Agent Orange and other herbicides during U.S.-Vietnam War

• Operation Pacer Ivy (1972), U.S. re-drums/removes herbicides from Vietnam• Normalization of relations in 1995, joint scientific cooperation in earnest in

2007 via Joint Advisory Committee between USG and GVN (Office 33 and EPA/CDC serve as Co-Chairs)

FROM CONTENTION TO COLLABORATIONRESOLVING A WAR LEGACY ISSUE

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• Assessment (2009-2010) – Conducted with Office of

National Steering Committee on Overcoming Consequences of Toxic Chemicals Used by U.S. During the War in Vietnam (Office 33)

– Estimate of 73,000 cubic meters of contaminated soil and sediment

– Recommended In-Pile Thermal Desorption® (IPTD®) technology

• Design (2010-2013)– Conducted by A&E firm and

proprietary technology holder– Included treatability studies and

engineering designs of excavation and treatment structure

ENVIRONMENTAL ASSESSMENT & DESIGNUSAID, 2009-2013

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• USAID manages three prime contractors

– Construction Management Contractor (CMC): responsible for day-to-day oversight, environmental compliance and health & safety compliance

– Dig & Haul Contractor: excavate & build structure

– IPTD® Contractor: thermal treatment

REMEDIATION OVERVIEWONE PILE, TWO PHASES

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PROJECT CLEAN UP GOALS(parts per trillion, ppt)

– Soil = 1,000 ppt– Sediment = 150 ppt– Treatment = 150 ppt

GVN Counterpart = Ministry of National

Defense, Air Defense –Air Force Command

(ADAFC)

PROJECT IMPLEMENTATIONCONSTRUCTIONTREATMENTCONFIRMATIONCOMPLETION

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• Excavated, transported and placed approximately 45,000 contaminated cubic meters

• All excavations were verified through sampling of excavation floors and sidewalls by CMC and Vietnam Russia Tropical Centre (VRTC)

• Treatment = minimum of 335°C for up to 21 days

• Operational performance monitored by VRTC and Chemical Command (air, water, soil)

PHASE 1IPTD® THERMAL OPERATIONS

Mean Post-Treatment Dioxin Concentration was 8.9 parts-per-trillion (ppt) Toxic

Equivalent (TEQ)

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PHASE 1 – COMPLETIONCELEBRATON EVENT (MAY 2016)

• Treated Phase 1 land (approximately 5 hectares) returned by USAID to the Ministry of National Defense and onward to the Ministry of Transportation

• Treated soil officially accepted for beneficial reuse as clean backfill for Airport expansion projects necessary for the City of Danang to successfully host Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation 2017

PROJECT UPDATE - PHASE 2CONSTRUCTIONTREATMENT SCHEDULEADDITIONAL VOLUME

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• May 2017: Begin confirmatory sampling (2 months)

• May to September 2017: Construct landfill for additional volume

• July 2017: Cool treated soil & remove thermal system (2-3 months)

• October 2017: Empty structure and deconstruct liquid vapor treatment plant (2 months)

• December 2017: Dismantle structure & export hazardous waste (2 months)

• March 2018: Complete site restoration

• June 2018: Complete contractor demobilization

PHASE 2 – TREATMENT SCHEDULE

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CAPACITY BUILDINGSUMMARY OF COMPLETED AND PENDING ACTIVITIES

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CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIESU.S. STUDY TOUR OF DIOXIN PROJECTS/LABS• Purpose: To expose participants to

U.S. approach to hazardous waste management

– Meetings with USEPA headquarters and regions

– Active dioxin remediation project tours with project managers

– Laboratory tour

• Participants: 9 GVN environmental remediation managers and scientists from several sections of the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defense

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– How to design a good sampling program

– Sample collection and management in the field

– Data evaluation and understanding of laboratory quality

– Remediation strategy criteria, evaluation, and selection process

• Participants: 30 trainees largely from Ministries of National Defense and Natural Resources & Environment and provincial-level DONREs

CAPACITY BUILDING ACTIVITIESFOUR-PART TRAINING CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

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• Purpose: To improve the knowledge and skill set of Vietnam’s next generation of dioxin experts to design and implement environmental assessments/remediation activities, using Bien Hoa as a case study

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PHUC MANH NGUYENMAURA PATTERSONANDREW SAYERS-FAYUSAID/VIETNAM

Environmental Remediation of Dioxin Contamination at Danang Airport